The Sister
by fluffykitty12
Summary: When children of one of Ben's friends turn up at he ranch after there ranch is stolen, Ben allows them to stay until there father returns and things can be sorted out. Along with fourteen year old Tom, there's twelve year old Jesse, who everyone soon thinks of as a sister, and who has the sense of adventure and bravery of little Joe. Can she survive all the adventures with Joe?
1. The Begining

Joe looked out across the field, seeing the two horses cut across his field carefully. Trespassers. He wasn't one to grow hostile unless provoked, though, and he trotted Cochese closer to the two, seeing the details he'd missed from far away. They were children, he saw, two boys.

One looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, the other about ten. They were both thin and dirty, looking like ruffians or drifters, but they were astride fine Morgan horses. A drifter would never have a Morgan unless he stole it, and these two hardly seemed capable of that.

"Ho there!" he called, flashing a smile.

They didn't welcome trespassers, but Pa would probably want to know these two's story. Besides, they looked so pitiful he didn't have the heart to be short with them.

"Hello." the older boy spoke, wheeling his horse in front of the smaller boy's horse, as though protecting him.

"You two realise you're on Cartwright land?" he asked.

The boy nodded. "We don't want no trouble, just passin' through..."

"Well, why not stay for dinner, then? You two look half starved."

The boy cast a wary glance a his companion before deciding. "Yes, that would be nice, thank you."

Soon they were settled at the main table. The smaller boy still hadn't removed the handkerchief he wore around his face, bandit-style, or his hat.

"So, who are you boys?" Adam asked, trying to start conversation.

In reply, the smaller of the two children removed their hat, and chestnut hair fell well past her shoulders. Adam blushed at his mistake and stuttered an apology, but the girl shrugged and untied her handkerchief.

"It don't bother me none, Mr. Cartwright." They all stared for a moment at the large cut on her cheek. It was a jagged cut from a knife.

"What rascal cut you, miss?" Hoss asked, voice suddenly disgusted at the thought someone would hurt a girl like that.

"I would rather not speak of that." she said evenly, continuing to eat. She ate with manners, as though she'd been raised well, but her current attire, the britches and leather getup of a male, as well as the way she rode her horse, showed otherwise.

"I'm not upset, but why were you on Ponderosa land?" Ben asked, brows furrowed. "And where are your Ma and Pa?"

The boy spoke first, this time. "We had no other way across the mountain, Sir. Had to get out of our valley, and I knew of a pass on this land... The were hunting us, and I couldn't let them get Jesse. Pa's on a cattle drive, down in Texas, he left last week, Ma's in Pennsylvania, her Ma was sick, and as soon as they was gone Pa's right hand man started selling cattle and keepin' the cash, and then he claimed the ranch was his, so I had to take Jesse and go, before he had his way with the both of us and got the deed..."

Adam nodded now, rapt with interest. "How did they force you away?"

"I went to talk to Simon,the thief, and we started brawling, and then Jesse ran in with Pa's gun and he cut her face and locked us in the attic. He kept asking where the deed to the ranch was, and said he'd drown us both if we didn't tell him. We ran away that night."

Ben spoke up, now. "And who is your Pa?"

"Jacob Peterson." Jesse muttered around a mouthful of food. The boy gave her a disapproving look.  
"Pardon my sister's lack of manners, its been awhile since she's eaten."

Jesse was still focused on eating, now, and seemed to tune out the conversation.

"I know the feeling." Joe spoke around a mouthful of food as well, shovelling a mouthful of potatoes into his mouth.

"You do not. You had six biscuits for lunch. She looks as though she ain't had a bite in days." Hoss scolded Joe.

Joe shrugged. "Still, I could starve within hours. Biscuits don't fill me up..."  
He was cut off by Ben.

"I've dealt with Jacob on cattle before. Very honest business man, as well as a good friend. Where's the deed to the ranch?"

"Should I show them, Tom?" Jesse asked, hesitant.

Tom nodded. "Yeah, I saw the name cartwright in some of Pa's business papers..."

Jesse slid the rolled up piece of paper from her hair, where it had been hidden in the braid covered by other layers. She handed it to Ben, who nodded as he studied it.

"Have you two tried to sort this out with the sheriff?"

Tom nodded. "Yessir, everyone in our valley but Pa is afraid of Simon. He's a true villain. We wired our Ma not to come back until things are safe, and Pa's coming back will be the only thing to set things right. It'll be a few months, though."  
Ben nodded solemnly, knowing the Sheriff wouldn't be able to do anything until Jacob returned.

"Would you two like to stay a the Ponderosa?"

Jesse and Tom looked surprised for a moment.

"That's a mighty kind offer, Sir." Tom said finally, glancing at Jesse's face. He was again reminded how thin she was and how tired they both were.

"I'll take you up on it, but we'll both be working and doing chores to earn our keep. Isn't that right, Jesse?"

Jesse nodded eagerly, and Ben shook his head.

"This is a gesture between friends." he protested.

"Mr. Cartwright, with all due respect, sir, you'd be doing us a disservice if you didn't let us help out. Why, without chores and work, we'd be lazing around like two fat house cats! How on Earth would we get used to living back on the ranch with Pa when he came? And, on top of that, we'd be plum bored! You're an upright man, Mr. Cartwright, remember the passage from the bible. 'idle hands do the devil's work'? We're like two horses, we crave the toil o' life out here."

Adam chuckled at the young girl's sensible and intelligent explanation. It was clear she'd had schooling at one time. "Can hardly argue with that, can you, Pa?" he asked.

Ben chuckled as well. "Guess not. But what about schooling? Your Pa wold hardly be happy if he came back to find I'd kept you from that."

"Ma was a school teacher, sir, she taught s during the winter, we're both graduated. Ain't that right, Jesse?"

"Yessir." Jesse said, nodding.

Adam didn't look convinced. "Jesse, what's 214 divided by 2?"

"107. Would you like me to do it on paper?"

Ben roared with laugher at the look of amazement on Adam's face.

"Jesse, you certainly are like your Ma. And Tom, I already see your Pa in you."

"Thank you, sir." the both said in unison.

They'd finished dinner by now, and Jesse and Thomas helped Hop Sing start to clear the table, but Ben shook his head.

"You two have had a long day. Joe, will you help them get settled upstairs?"

"Yes Pa." Joe stood and smiled, motioning for the two to follow him as he led them upstairs.

They had three guest rooms, and he led Thomas to one and Jesse to the other.

"You two call if you need anything, alright? My room's just across the hall."

"Mr. Cartwright, would you mind waking us up in the mornin', so we can help with whatever needs doing?"

"I wouldn't mind at all, Jesse. You go spare clothes to wear? Some of my Ma's old ones might fit you..."

"I have spare clothes, Mr. Cartwright, but thank you for the offer."

"Not a problem. And call me Joe, Jesse, everyone else does."

She nodded. "Goodnight, then, Joe."

"'Night, Jesse."

She slipped into her room and closed he door. He heard her pouring water into the porcelain bowl and probably washing up when Hoss knocked on her door.

"Come in." Jesse called.

"I just wanted to fix up that nasty cut on your face, Jesse."

Joe felt slightly annoyed at Hoss, and a bit upset he hadn't thought to clean her cut first. He was already feeling glad, like he had a little sister. He'd always wanted a sister...  
He sighed. It had been an interesting day, and he was tired, as he changed into his nightclothes and slipped under the covers. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was asleep.

* * *

He woke up to the rooster crowing and remembered his promise to Jesse, standing and dressing.

He slipped over and knocked on her door, finding she was still asleep and slipping inside. She actually looked like a girl as she slept, in a long, worn lavender nightdress, and he felt a blush creep up his cheeks at seeing her like this. But still, she was just a child, and he'd promised to wake her.

He gently shook her shoulder. "Jesse?"

"Hmm?" she opened her eyes, looking confused for a moment as she woke.

"Oh, morning, Joe." she sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What are we doing today?"

He was surprised by his quick answer. "You can help me mend the fence on the east side, we have to move the herd today."

She nodded and stood, starting to brush out her hair, seeming undisturbed he was there.  
Still, he'd never seen a girl brushing her hair before, and he stared slightly. She started twisting the long, straight locks into a braid.

"How do you do that? That making rope out of your hair?" he asked, curious.  
She smiled and turned to him, a merry light in her eyes. "It's called a braid, keeps the bugs from getting stuck in my hair. I'll show you sometime. You ever get a wife, she'll be happy to know you can braid her hair every day."

He nodded, suddenly realising he was starving and smelling Hop Sing's Johnny cakes cooking and heading downstairs to give her privacy.  
She entered the kitchen a few minutes later, dressed like a boy again, in jeans and a shirt, showing well-muscled arms and flashing a smile as she sat down across from him.

They ate in silence, knowing they'd be hungry again soon enough and that they'd have plenty of time to talk while mending the fence.

"We got a pony you can ride. Don't want to get that nice Morgan hurt. It's a rough ride."  
Jesse nodded, finishing her milk.

"Wonderful Johnny cakes, sir." she complemented Hop Sing, who smiled.

"Hop Sing glad you like."

They both headed out to the barn.

Ben was down with the rest of the boys a few minutes later. "where's Joe?" Ben asked, slightly concerned.

Adam shrugged. "He wasn't in bed."

"It's not like Joe to get up early. Hop Sing, do you know where he went?"

Hop Sing nodded, setting a fresh plate of Johnny cakes in front of them.

"Hop Sing see Joe and little girl eating. Joe say something about fixing fence. Joe and girl look like brother sister."

Hoss nodded. "So they've gone out to fix the fence."

Adam's face creased with worry. "Jesse's pretty small. You sure she can handle a tough job like that, Tom?"

Tom nodded. "She's done things like that before."

Adam looked unconvinced. "But there's wolves out on that end of the ranch..."

"Joe has his rifle, Adam." Ben reassured him.

"And Jesse had her pistol." Tom added, making Adam stare.  
"She's a good shot with it, as well. Never could handle a buffalo gun, though, too much kick back, almost sent her flying, Anyways, what are we doing today?"

* * *

"hand me that barbed wire there, will you, Jesse?"

She obeyed, looking at something in the distance.

"Joe, looks like we have company." she muttered quietly.

Joe looked up to see six men riding up on horses. Jesse quickly tucked her braid into her hat and fingered her pistol in her holster.

The riders still approached, and Jesse recognised them at once.

"It's Simon." she said quietly.

Joe nodded and waited for them men to approach. Simon scowled down at her from astride a beautiful chestnut gelding before pulling off her hat. The braid fell down her back.

"Jessica!" he turned to Joe. "What are you doing with my girl?" he demanded.

"Nothing, sir. After you stole her father's ranch, she came to the home of old friends."

"I'm responsible for both children while her Ma and Pa are away." Simon said. "Now Jessica, you get up on my horse and we'll go find Thomas..."

She scoffed. "You're horse? That horse belongs to my Pa, Simon, and you know it. I ain't going back with you, you horse rear."

Simon swore loudly and grabbed her braid, and a moment later she let out an indian war whoop, and the horse Simon rode, already scared from not being ridden by his rightful master, reared and Simon lost his men with him all stared, wondering whether or not to draw guns on a lady.

"Come here, skyrun." she spoke to the frantic horse, who obeyed her as she led him back to Joe.

Simon got to his feet angrily. "Listen here, Jesse, I'll have you one way or another..."

"You'll have her over my dead body." Joe said coldly, protective instincts taking over as he aimed his rifle at Simon. "Now you get on your buddy's horse and go, or you'll be leaving in a coffin. If you ever lay a hand on her again I'll kill you."

Simon stared at him, seeing the cold fire burning in his eyes, and he quickly mounted behind another man. Jesse fired one shot from her gun int the air, and the horses spooked, running as far away as they could, until the were gone.

"That rascal." Jesse muttered, spitting in the direction from which Simon ad come. She turned to Joe. "Thanks for the help there. Don't tell your Pa about this, or he'll be worried..."

"I already am worried." Joe said quietly. "He really wants that deed, doesn't he?"

Jesse shrugged and got astride her father's horse, now. "He'll never have it. We could've shot him right then for trespassing, but there'd be a big stir if we did."

Joe nodded, a bit worried, still. "What if Simon does get you?"  
"Then he'll ask where the deed is and I'll lie to him and escape. Don't worry so much, Joe. We got work to do."


	2. Blizzard

The work after that went much faster, and Joe found himself not just a little sister in Jesse, but a best friend. As good as she was at working, she was much more valuable as a partner in crime. She could devise the best pranks to lay and had as tore of jokes to complement his own, as well as being a good shot at the tin canes he set on the fence rail.

Still, winter was in it's last throws when she slipped out to check the wolf taps by herself. The snow was only coming down lightly, and the pony happily trotted along. All the traps seemed empty, and she was at the last trap, the farthest from the ponderosa, when she saw a wolf caught in the trap by the leg, still alive and frothing, mad as a hornet. She drew her pistol to finish it, when it lunged forward and spooked the pony, who threw her over his head and into the snow.

It knocked the breath from her, and she took a moment to regain her bearings. She'd landed badly on her leg, it was clear she wasn't going to be able to walk. She groped around for her pistol, finding it and unloading it, blowing the snow from the barrel before finishing the wolf. They'd hear he shot back at the ponderosa, but he'd know she was just finishing off a wolf. The snow had been steadily growing worse, and through its blindness she suddenly saw the outline of a figure on a horse approaching... Simon.

She was suddenly filled with terror at the thought of how he'd find her, unable to walk or run... Her teeth were chattering, she was freezing, and he figure disappeared into the cold of snow again. So he hadn't seen her. But now she was trapped in the snow, and she couldn't fire shots without Simon hearing and coming first.

Still, as the pony trotted back towards the ponderosa house, se knew she had no choice but to fire and hope someone would find her, be it Simon or Joe. And even then, she might freeze to death before they could find her.

She bit off the paper of some powder and filled her gun, trying to get a breath from the frigid air that refused to fill her lungs... Her leg was throbbing she was half frozen and scared, and she fired three shots, the signal Hoss had told her was for emergencies.

Adam was the only one a the ponderosa, but he heard the shots and jumped to his feet. Jesse had gone to check the traps while the there were in town, he realized. She normally did it with Joe, and in this storm force weather, something had gone wrong, and she was trapped outside...

He pulled on his boots, grabbing his own two pistols. In the howling wind, Jesse wouldn't hear him calling, so his only choice was to fire off shots in response in the opes she heard and replied with more shots.

He got on Sport, and hurriedly dug in his heels.

He could check the trap line, see where she was, but that would take time, time he didn't have... She might've been out of bullets, though, unable to respond to his shots, and that thought made his stomach turn, so he decided to check the trap line as fast as he could.

Forty minutes later he'd reached one of the last three traps. He was getting anxious, now, and he fired off a shot, hoping for her reply. He trotted towards the trap nearest to him, horse struggling through the snow... One minute passed, two...

A shot rang out, at the far trap, and he urged the horsed forward and stopped,searching on foot. He didn't want the horse to trample her by mistake while he was searching.

She had one bullet left, and she'd save it, she she had no idea he close Simon was, and if anyone hd even heard her shots.

She was so cold, her ankle had gone numb now, at least...

"JESSE!" she heard the yell from a few feet away, but it seemed miles through the blinding snow. Adam cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled her name again, praying he wasn't too late and she'd gone to sleep in the snow, given into the nagging of the frost and drifted off to sleep, never to wake again...

He could picture her small frame lying motionless, snowflakes dotting her chestnut hair like angel tears... He'd never forgive himself, she was just a child, and they all loved her like a sister...

"Adam!" her voice was hoarse but there. Hearing Adam s close by ad give her new home, and she crawled towards his voice, ankle screaming protest the entire way, calling his name...

Neither of them could see two feet in front of them, and she ran into Adam's legs, collapsing onto his boots from he shock of it.

"Jesse! Jesse! Don't go to sleep!" adam yelled from somewhere in he distance. And she knew she shouldn't sleep, either, but she was so tired...

His strong hands plucked her from the embrace of death as he pulled her from the snow, staggering back towards his horse, still yelling over the howling wind for her to stay awake...

He grabbed a handful of snow and washed her face with it, the icy crystals like pinpricks on her bloody face. Adam hated to do this, but if she fell asleep she'd die...

He mounted and spurred the horse towards home, Jesse in his lap, still almost asleep, slipping away...

He held he reins in his teeth and slapped her, hard, and everything within him screamed protest at hitting his younger sister, but it was to keep her alive. He'd shone tough love to little Joe before when he needed it, and now was no different. Her eyes, confused and so blue, opened and stared at him. They started to fall closed again... He slapped the other cheek this time, hand colliding with her cheek so hard hs palm stung and she started again.

Good. He'd keep her awake...

But there came the point when she no longer felt the pain, when she began to lean heavily on him, and at that point he knew she was going to die if he didn't get her inside soon.

Tears rolled down his cheeks at the though of loosing her,but they quickly froze in the blizzard.

"I'm not going to loose you, Jesse." he whispered, though the words were stolen by the wind. The wind could steal his words, but he wouldn't let hem take Jesse from him.

Ben, Hoss, Joe, and Thomas had returned from going to town just before the storm turned blizzard force to find the house empty.

"They're probably out checking the wolf traps together. Adam will have the good sense to bring her back, Pa." Hoss reassured Ben. But still, they were all slightly uneasy as the time passed.

Adam could see the house now, it was so close... He dismounted and slapped his horse in the rump, sending him running into the stable where he could wait... He fought through the snow, which was up to his knees, until he wrenched the door open and staggered inside, slamming it shut.

He was surprised to see the fire still roaring for a moment, but he had no time to waste pondering it and ran inside with his boots on, leaving trails of icy water.

"Adam!" he heard Ben's voice behind him but didn't take his eyes of Jesse as he set her by the fire, pulling off her boots and overcoat, which was soaked.

"Get me blankets, Pa. Hoss, I need a pot of hat water. Tom, Joe, help me get some heat back into her hands."

Ben heard his son's voice shake and hurried to do as he said, knowing Adam knew the situation better than he did. He returned to find they'd stripped her down to her shirt and pants, which were only slightly damp, and all four boys were feverishly trying to rub heat back into her hands and feet.

He head still lolled to the side, cheek on he floor, her hair was shrouded with ice...

"Come back to us, Jesse." Adam pleaded, voice laced with terror and sadness Ben hadn't seen since Joe's mother had died.

Jesse did nothing in response. Joe wrapped her in blankets and Adam sat beside her, knowing there was nothing more he could do. He stroked her cheek, choking back sobs at the thought any shaky breath could be her last.

"It's my fault..." he muttered, looking down at her still form with tears streaming down his face. He swore loudly, lost his temper.

"Jesse!" He slapped her face, and her eyes flew open. Her shaky breathing became more steady.

"Adam?" she whispered weakly, staring at him with confusion in her eyes.

"Thank god." Adam muttered, gathering her in his arms and holding her tightly.

She cried out in pain and he quickly set her down. Instantly, everyone was around her.

"What hurts, Jesse?" little Joe asked, worried.

"Ankle... Adam..." he held the cup of warm water to her lips and wouldn't let her speak until she sipped at it. Ben looked at her ankle, worried. "It's a nasty sprain, looks like."

"Adam... I killed a wolf..."

Adam couldn't help but smile. "Did you, now?"

"I... Yeah. I can show it to you... Later..."

"You do that, Jesse. I can't wait to hear all about it."

"A-Adam... Can I go to sleep, now?"

He beamed. "Yeah, now you can, Jesse..." the room was silent as she leaned into him, closing her eyes and leaning against him, until she was asleep.

Ben noticed the bruises on her cheeks forming and looked at Adam.

"I had to keep her awake, Pa, she was going to freeze to death."

Ben nodded and sat down. "Tell me about it."

And the story came to, then, how he'd realised she went out check the traps before returning when he heard the three shots and found her, half frozen to death, by the last trap.

Ben let out is breath in a rush when he was done. "You did good, son." he said, a spark of pride coming into is eyes as he saw Adam was still holding her as she slept.

Adam stared. "I did not! She almost froze to death because of me! I should've asked if she was going to check the traps, should've gone with her! My sister almost died because of me!"

Everyone stared for a moment, realising Adam had called Jesse his sister. Adam didn't notice, he was too wound up. "I did good, so good she almost died! I should've known!" Adam studied the ground, still too upset to meet anyone's eyes.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, then. "She wouldn't have told you, anyway, She's dead set in her ways, Adam, she didn't think anything would go wrong. There was no way of you knowing she'd find trouble. 'sides, even I don't know what she'll do half the time, and I known her her whole life."

"Thanks, Tom..." Tom nodded and sat beside him, looking at Jesse.

"I'd switch the daylights out of you if you weren't already so beat up." Tom said to her sleeping form. He sighed. "She's got something special about her, you can't ever stay mad at her."

Little Joe smiled. "I knew she took after me." he said quietly, and everyone laughed.  
_


	3. Gold

"Jesse, I want you to go to town with Adam today." Ben said. Jesse looked slightly disappointed, but nodded obediently, anyways. Really, Tom had come to Ben last night an suggested he send her to town for the day to keep her out of too much trouble.

Adam didn't mind, either. He just knew he'd have to keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't find trouble or adventure. But she made her own adventure, he knew.

"Have you ever been to town before?" Adam asked, as she rode Notty, a gentle pony down the road beside him as he pulled the wagon behind his horse.

"Lots of times. Are you good with figures? Little Joe sad that's why Pa likes you to do the supply runs..."

"Yes. You're not so bad at figures yourself, maybe you'd like t help me add up the prices..."

"Sure. What do we need?"

"Salt, flour, sugar, yeast, some oats for the horses, some seed wheat, we're going to plant a field of it this year, and a few other things."

She nodded, already thinking as they reached the general store.

Adam was about to go in and buy the candles when she tugged his sleeve.

"What?"

"Widow Charity makes real good candles and sells them for a nickel a dozen."

"Does she, now?"

Jesse nodded. "Ma always bought them there..."

Adam handed her a quarter. "Go get two dozen, then. Stay away from the saloon, though."

She nodded, slipping down the well known roads and buying the candles from the widow, who beamed at her. Her smile suddenly turned sad.

"I was sorry to hear of... Well, your ranch... It' a shame no one can straighten this out."

"My Pa will come home soon, Ms. Charity, and his name is on the deed. He'll set things right."

"I do hope so. Run along now, Jesse."

"Thank you, Ms. Charity."

She was about to turn around and head back to Adam when she peered in the saloon doors, seeing a man her Pa had dealt with getting ready to play poker. She forgot everything else and slipped inside, taking her seat at the table.

"Deal me in, Mr. Hendrick."

A filthy looking man eyed her roughly. "This ain't no free ride, Missy. You gotta have money to wager."

She nodded. Finding the nickel she'd brought with her from home in her pocket and setting it on the table with all the other nickels they'd placed.

Adam was starting to get worried when he realized where she was. She'd go to the one place he'd told her not to. The saloon.

He hurried his pace, worried what trouble she'd find there among the rough boys and men who stayed there, hoping the bartender, Charles, had had the sense to keep an eye on her...

He strode in just as she showed her cards. "Royal flush." she said, beaming.

The men stared for a moment, and then all started to laugh. "T' think we got beat by little Jesse..." one of them muttered through his laughter.

Mr. Hendrick handed her the five nickels in the pot.

"You won it fair and square, Jesse..."

The rough man huffed and gave her a hating look, an she offered her heart-melting smile, but it seemed to have no affect on him...

Adam seized her by the arm. "Jesse! I told you to stay out of the saloon!"

She stared at him, surprised he'd found her, then look back a the men as Adam's grip tightened on her arm. "Sorry fellas, looks like I won't be ale to play another hand..."

"Wait until Pa hears about this, Jesse, he'll switch you." Adam said, dragging her out of the saloon. As soon as they were out of earshot, he turned to her..

"What on earth were you thinking!?" he demanded. "Do yo know how dangerous it is for a girl in a saloon...?"

"Aw Adam, I was just a game of poker between friends, I know all them folks, Mr. Hendricks looks out for me. I knew everyone except that sour fellow..."

"And that sour fellow is Henry Andrews, a drunk, a gambler, and a man who beat his wife so bad she fled." he stared at her, eyes hard with frustration.

"did he now? Sounds like a jerk. Good thing I beat him at poker..."

"Where did you even learn to play poker!?" he demanded.

She shrugged. "My Pa taught me during the winter, when I was bored..."

"Go untie your pony. You can bet Pa is going to hear about this..."

She let her shoulders slump, all her pride gone as she realized she'd upset Adam, knowing it was going to be a long, silent ride home.

By the time she'd helped Adam unload everything they'd bought into the barn for the night, dinner had already began.

Adam marched into the house with her in tow, giving Pa a look.

"You are never going to town again." Adam said hotly, sitting down at his place beside Pa.

"What happened?" Ben asked, slightly worried, now. He saw no visible injuries on either of them,but Jesse looked slightly afraid of Adam as she sat.

"I sent her to buy candles from the widow Charity, she told me they were cheaper. I said, 'stay away from the saloon' and then twenty minutes later, where do I find her? In the saloon! And playing poker, no less!"

Ben looked over at her. "Jesse, is this true?"

"Yessir." she said, not meeting his eyes. She looked up suddenly. "But, I did win that hand of poker."

Pa chuckled, and Adam stared. "Pa, no. Please tell me you are not taking her side with this?"

Ben shook his head, smiling. "No. I just find it... Amusing... That an eleven yer old girl can beat grown men at poker."

"So you won't punish her, then?"

"That is none of your concern, Adam." he said, turning to Jesse.

"You promise me you'll never venture into the saloon alone again, Jesse?"

"Yessir, I promise." she said quickly.

"And if you do, I'll switch you myself." Tom said quietly, looking up to meet her eyes. "Pa would be upset if he came back to know I'd taught you to waltz into a saloon by yourself. You hear me?"

"Yes Thomas." she murmured, looking at the floor.

"Good. You know granma'd turn over in her grave if she knew 'bout this." Thomas rebuked her again.

"Well let the woman turn over, then! I ain't gotta be no fine southern lady like she done!" Jesse said, suddenly a bit irritated.

"Like she was, not done, Jesse." Adam corrected, suddenly happy to see Thomas actually admonishing her for her behavior.

"Done, was, I gave up on good grammar a long time ago. Out here there ain't no king or queen of England to talk fancy words with, and I ain't going to be seen acting like some fine southern lady who lets her husband do as he darn well pleases... Grandma died of a broken heart, Thomas, and you know it's cause she didn't say nothing and let Grandpa have his way with the widow down yonder."

Everyone stared at the realization of her bitterness towards being a lady, and she looked to Ben. "Pa- I mean, Mr. Cartwright, may I be excused?"

Ben nodded, too shocked to speak, and she stood and trooped upstairs, exhausted from the argument of it all so much she fell into bed without undressing and fell asleep.

Downstairs, Hoss cleared his throat, trying to fill the awkward silent. Joe stared. "Your grandpa ad his way with another lady?" he asked, shocked.

"Joe!" Ben admonished, but Tom shook his head.

"It's alright, Mr. Cartwright. Yes, Joe, grandpa did have his way with another lady after ma had married and left. He's not in our blood line, though, Ma's Pa died when she was two, her Ma remarried that man, he had his way awhile later, then grandma died, an' he remarried the widow he had his way with, whose sick now, and Ma's staying with until we sort out the mess with the ranch."

Adam nodded, pondering this. "So where's she get the wildness from?" he asked.

Tom laughed. "well, that was probably when she as five, we were out on the trail to visit family in Colorado, she got separated from us all in a hostile injun attack, and we thought she was dead. Pa refused to give up on her, though, and we found her a week later in a friendly injun camp, dressed up like an injun princess. Pa was so grateful he gave the chief his horse. Heck, I think she still speaks a little injun."

Ben nodded, looking impressed, and slowly the conversations started again.

"Jesse, wake up." Joe whispered.

It was in the wee hours of the morning, and she stumbled out of bed a moment later. "Joe?" she asked groggily.

"Get dressed. I did our chores already. We're going back to the cave."

Jesse nodded, and he waited fro her to come downstairs. Not even Hop Sing was up yet. He'd already saddled Cochese and Notty, packing food and water for the day, as well as pencils and paper for the job of mapping and a lantern, as well as chalk...

Jesse slid on her boots, looking a little more awake, now. Joe handed her a shining knife, and she stared at it in awe for a moment.

"I cleaned it up while you were with Adam yesterday." Joe explained and she thanked him with an embrace which he gladly returned. He'd always loved hugs. The mounted and quietly rode out together, towards the canyon.

"Twelve... Thirteen... Thirteen paces along the left main tunnel until the first little passage comes off." Joe said, and Jesse nodded, writing it down, They were measuring everything in the cavern in paces. The main cavern was twenty paces long and fifteen wide.

"Thirteen little Joe paces or thirteen Jesse paces?" Jesse asked curiously, drawing the map on another piece of paper.

Joe shrugged. "Well, your paces are half the size of mine, so twenty six Jesse paces."

Jesse nodded, writing that down as well. The glow from the lantern was much brighter and better than candle light.  
"And what should we name this little passage?" she asked.

Joe shrugged. "How about Moonshine brook? See that crack above the passage, it looks like a crescent moon..."

Jesse scratched this onto the paper as well, while Joe wrote the name above the passage entrance.

He moved on, counting his paces until the next small tunnel branched off. They went on like that for an hour, until they reached a dead end.

Jesse nodded, looking around and drawing the end of the tunnel on the map.

"Now we should map the little tunnels branching off,don't you think?"

Joe nodded. "Alright, but some of hem re too small for me to fit into. I'll need you to do those."

Jesse nodded. Handing hm the map and starting to tell him how long the little twigs branching off the main tunnel were.

"Midnight pass is twenty paces long, two wide..."

"Jesse paces or Joe paces?" Joe asked.

He heard Jesse gasp, and then silence.

"Joe!" suddenly she scrambled out of the passage, holding a lump of something glittering in her hand. It was the size of a baseball and could hdly fit into her fist.

"Gold..." Joe stared, and she nodded, grinning. "It's real, too. Doesn't sell like fool's gold."

Joe held it in his hand. It was heavy, weighed at least a pound.

"Is there anymore?" he asked.

Jesse nodded. "There's a few veins of it running along the wall, try and fit inside. It widens out once yo get there."

Joe nodded and squirmed into the tunnel after her, using his knife to help dig the gold out of the wall.

They placed it all into a satchel, and then they sat in the tunnel, contemplating what to do.

"We have a least two pounds in nuggets and dust here." Joe said.

Jesse nodded. "We'll be giving it to your Pa, of course. But then they'll ask about where we found it. If word gets out, we could have squatters all over he Ponderosa."

Joe nodded. "We'll say we found it in the canyon. It's not a lie, we did. And ths is all of it. T the best of or knowledge, anyways. So we say this was all of it, and that we found it in the canyon. Deal?"

"Deal."

"You don't think there could be more of it, do you?" Jesse shrugged. "Maybe. We'll have to keep checking the little tunnels..."

They'd found nothing more by dinner time, and they slowly climbed down.

"Wait till we tell Pa." Joe said, beaming. Jesse nodded excitedly. They spurred the ponies to galloping as they flew up to the house.

"Pa! Pa!" Joe jumped off cochrse, and Jesse off Notty, as everyone, just about to sit down to supper, rushed out onto the porch.

"Is anyone hurt?" Ben asked, worried.

Joe simply raced past him, pushing the plates back on the kitchen tale and dumping the satchel on the table. Everyone stared for a moment.

"It's gold!" joe said, grinning, and Jesse laughed.

"They can see that, Joe."

Ben stepped forward, running his fingers through the dust.

"You two found this?" he asked, as if in disbelief.

"Yes Pa, in the canyon, there was a vein of gold... That's all of it, though."

Ben nodded, still shocked. Suddenly his face turned solemn. "We could have squatters all over the ponderosa if word of this gets out." he said quietly. "And this is all he gold there is, from what you two have told me."

The both nodded, and Ben called everyone away into the parlor.

"A conference of men... And lady..." Ben said, noting Jesse.

"I say we keep this secret until we need the money that can be brought in by selling it, and keep the land and our privacy sovereign."

"I agree." everyone said in unison, and Ben nodded. Gathering the gold in a pouch and placing it in his room. He placed his hand on Joe's and Jesse's shoulders.

"Good work, you two."

"Does this mean we can have a day off tomorrow, Pa?" Joe asked hopefully. The gold had raised everyone's spirits, which were weary from the hard work of keeping the calfs alive and working on the lumber...

Ben smiled at the youngest two of his brood. "I don't see why not..."  
_


	4. Murderer

"Fourteen Jesse paces!" Jesse called as she reached the end of another branching off tunnel. They'd mapped the second main tunnel, and were going through little tunnels that branched off the main ones, now.

Joe had sent Jesse into this one because it was so small there was no chance he was going to fit into it.

Jesse had taken the lantern with her, and he looked around in the light his candle cast around him.

There was what remained of an axe handle, gnarled and chipped at it was, some bullets...

He stared at the head or he axe. Though the handle was gnarled, the blade still shined and was sharp... If it were really that old, it should've been rusted, the same was true of the bullets. He swallowed, the realization hitting him suddenly. Someone else was here besides him an Jesse.

"Jesse! Jesse, come out of there, now." he whispered.

"What?" Jesse took his hint in responding in a whisper, but she sounded confused. "What's wrong?"

"Blow out the lantern and come here, now!" he whispered urgently. Jesse obeyed him, and he blew out his own candle. In the darkness, he heard footsteps approaching. They drew closer and closer, but he'd risk his life to make sure Jesse reached him. He pulled her along the passage and ran lightly, feeling his way along the wall until they were in the main cavern. Even then, he didn't stop, only pushed her out the opening ahead of him, into the crack that widened here, then narrowed at the top of the cannon to nothing more than a small crack, pushing her along until they climbed down and not speaking until they were on the ponies and trotting towards the canyon exit.

"There was someone else in that cave." he said quietly, explaining what he'd found. Jesse nodded, looking both intrigued and a bit upset.

"Why would a man be hiding in the cave?" she asked. "Gold is a reason, but there was hardly any of it. Besides, practically no one knows about that cave, so he must have wanted to hide from someone..."

She pulled out the knife Joe had fixed for her and flipped open the blade.

"Kent Glosser." she said, nodding to Joe. "This is his knife." she showed where he'd scratched his name into the blade.

Joe thought. "Seems like I've heard the name..."

"I know. I think I read of him somewhere..."

"The newspaper, probably. Come on, we'll ask Harley down at the building."

She nodded, waiting outside while Joe talked, resisting the urge to go into the saloon and gamble again...

Joe walked out suddenly, slightly paler than before.

"Jesse, Kent Glosser..." she nodded, waiting for the news.

"Yes?"

"He's a murderer."

They were silent for the ride back to the Ponderosa, stabling the ponies and sitting up in the hayloft to discuss the new knowledge.

"Kent Glosser. Killed three women, disappeared. He's been running from the law for a year."

"And now he's in our cave." Jesse finished. She took a breath. "It was him..."

"What?" Joe sat forward now, rapt with interest.

"I forgot it until now, but when I was out by that wolf trap, in the blizzard, I saw a man on horseback, it was probably Kent trying to hunt while everyone was inside... I thought it was Simon, but I fired off the three shots anyways, but the man didn't come to get me. Adam did."

Joe drew in a sharp breath. "the only reason he didn't come hurt and kill you was because you were already missing. If you'd frozen to death, they would've found a body, or at least remains. If they found you with your throat slit, or found no body at all, it would've gotten suspicions rising. And since you'd fired the three shots for help, if he hurt you and then left you to freeze, there was still a chance you'd have survived with Adam coming, so all he could do was leave."

She nodded, it was all coming together, now. "I still had one bullet left, though. I was saving it in case he tried to take me, since I thought he was Simon."

Joe nodded. "If he found you and you hadn't fired the shots, you would've surely been a goner. He'd have had his way and then left you to die out there, since no one was coming. And no one would've known..." he wrapped her in an embrace, now, realizing how close he'd come to loosing her.

"Joe- little Joe, I'm fine." she protested,but she let him hug her.

"Now, we need to get the sheriff over here, but we can't let him know Kent was in our cave, or they might find out about the gold and then the squatters will come running..."

Joe nodded. "So we have to get him out of the cave..."

"Remember the small hole we found in the passage today, that came into the east pasture? What if we pretend to have a posse about to storm the cave, and then it'll drive him up and out of the hole, where the real Sheriff and posse will be waiting. Or at least, they'll be waiting around there."

Joe nodded. "Brilliant! But how are we going to pretend to be a posse?" suddenly he grinned. "Time for a little creativity." he affirmed, and they climbed down and raced into the house.

* * *

"Is the possee coming soon, Jesse?"

Jesse nodded as she kicked her father's horse to a faster gallop. They raced down into the canyon.

They hurriedly climbed the canyon wall and slipped into the crack, sliding along side it and into the main cavern. Joe opened his satchel while Jesse lit the lantern. Jesse fired a shot into the air.

"This is your warning, Kent Glosser!" Joe said as he handed a doll to Jesse, taking one himself and allowing the shadows to reflect the dolls on the wall, making it appear there were at least six men on the cave.  
They heard running feet and some stones falling, and knew Kent was scrabbling up the hole and out into the daylight to escape.

Jesse slipped out of the crack and easily finished the climb back down with Joe, getting onto sky run and rushing off to drive Kent up towards the Posse.

Joe let out an Indian war whoop, and Jesse followed suite. Soon enough, Kent was in the custody of Sheriff Coffee.

Just then, Ben, Adam, Hoss, an Tom all rode up.

"What's going n here?" Ben asked, eye scanning the group. Suddenly he laid eyes on Jesse and Joe.

"Hey Pa, just helping out the Sheriff here..." Joe said.

Sheriff Coffee laughed.

"They single-handedly led us to a murderer, Ben, drove him out here. I'll be darned if these two aren't deputies someday."

Jesse noticed some strays mingling by a broken fenced and nodded to Joe before digging he heals into Skyrun and racing after them, disappearing into the horizon, Joe hot on her tail.

"Danburnnit, how'd those two manage that?" Hoss asked running a hand through is hair. Ben shook his head a gleam of pride shining on his face. "With those two together, you never know."

* * *

"Joe, how did you two do it?" Adam asked, incredibly curious, as they were heading upstairs to bed.

Jesse turned around a beamed. "Everyone has their secrets, Adam." she said, before drifting upstairs and into her room in the moonlight, Joe following suit, leaving Adam to wonder what those two were getting into.

* * *

Adam looked down at her sleeping form, wondering how she was so Joe-like. The two were practically inseparable, and he was slightly jealous of the depth of their friendship...

Mainly, though, he was proud of them both, Not every man had siblings who were skilled enough to find and trap a murderer who'd been on the lamb for years. Or find gold, or manage to keep everything a secret as to how they'd done them both.

Just as he was about to leave he heard her voice.

"Pa? Pa, don't go alone, please..."

Suddenly she went rigid, and e stared a her, unsure of what to do, A moment later, she was thrashing.

"Pa! Pa run! Don't shoot, please don't shoot!" she was fighting unseen demons, now, tangling herself in the sheets...

He reacted by instinct and gathered her into his arms, holding her like a child and cradling her until she stopped thrashing, curling into his grasp. He was surprised for a moment, but it was nice... Little tough Jesse would never allow him to do this while she was awake.

"Sh... Sh... It's alright, Jesse."

"Papa... Papa, don't leave me..."

"I will never leave you." Adam confirmed, and she relaxed, until she laid still in his arms. He didn't set her back down until he was sure the nightmares were gone, before finally retiring to his own room.


	5. The Trap

"Where's Joe?" Jesse asked, feeling a but abandoned.

Ben nodded to her. "He's out at the trap line in the woods..."

She nodded to him, sliding on her boots before slipping out after Joe. She whistled but fond no response. She grew edgy. Joe nearly always answered her call...

She saw Cochese, neighing frantically, and raced over to find him.

He must have dismounted t walk alongside Cochese, and he laid on the ground now, the huge metal jaws clamped down on his leg. His face was pale from the pain, and she stared at hm for a moment, shocked.

"Joe! Can you hear me, buddy?" he didn't respond, and she knew the trap was big enough to hold a fell grown wolf by the leg, the jaws were strong, the metal teeth biting mercilessly into Joe's leg...

She didn't think, only jammed her hands into the jaws and started to pry them, grabbing a log to shove in as she struggled. She finally pried the trap open enough for her to begin working the log into it, and soon t was open...

She carefully moved Joe's leg from the trap, smelling the blood...

She pulled off her coat and wrapped it around his leg, turning to Cochese desperately.

"Lay down buddy, please..."

Cochese obeyed, knowing the urgency if the station, and she laid Joe across the saddle in front of her, urging Cochese to his feet and started to race towards the road.  
As she raced past the house, she pulled her gun and fired three shots, knowing someone would follow her to Doc Martin's.

Adam wheeled around the corner following quickly behind as she reached the Doctor's practice.

She didn't stop to see Adam, only tried to keep Joe's injured leg from the ground as she dragged him through the door, adrenalin racing...

Doc Martin was instantly busy working and she was left in the waiting room, nervous and sweating as the adrenalin wore off.

Adam rushed in, looking a her. "What happened?" he demanded.

"I found Joe unconscious with his leg stuck in a steel jawed trap." she said, looking upset. She was covered in blood, Joe's blood, Adam realized. He saw the fear in her eyes, and quickly wrapped her in a hug.

"You did good, Jesse. You did real good."

Just then Ben rushed in. "How is he?"

Adam shook his head. "We don't know yet."

Ben sat down and nodded to Jesse. "I sent Hoss to get the trap. It wasn't one of ours, we don't use steel-jawed, I find them too inefficient and cruel."

Just then, Hoss entered,handing the large trap to Ben. Ben studied it, and turned to Jesse. "You opened this trap up, Jesse?"

She nodded. She was still anxious about Joe, and she wasn't really in the mood to talk. She felt light-headed all of a sudden, but she fought it off. Joe needed her now...

"Jesse, it takes the strength if a man to open this trap." Ben said.

She shrugged. "I was so scared, I guess I did it."

Doc Martin entered, then, and they all stood, anxious to hear the news. Jesse struggled not to stumble, she'd stood up so fast she was dizzy...

"He's alright. It didn't break the bone, he's just lost some blood..."

Suddenly everyone turned her. She felt the searing pain in her hands and looked down. The fingers and palms were torn, as though ripped into by the jaws of the trap, she realized, she was bleeding all over, her blood mixing with little Joe's...

"Adam... help..." she pleaded, before her knees buckled and she went limp.

Adam caught her before she hit the floor, carrying her bridal style into the room where Joe not laid on a cot.

"Her hands are cut real bad, I thought it was all Joe's blood..."

Joe moaned in the corner. "Jesse..." he mumbled, as though in a dream of his sister and best friend.

"Shhh, Joe, she'll be alright..."

"Adam, get me a basin of water."

Adam did as he was told, and soon the water was red from her blood. He could see just how nasty the cuts were, then... Doc Martin stitched them up nodded to Adam. "You can take them both home, they've just had some nasty cuts..."

Adam nodded and carried Jesse out, while Hoss took Little they were all situated back home when Joe woke up.

"Jesse! Jesse, run, the cattle rustlers are back!"

Jesse's eyes flew open."Joe! Joe, where are you!"

"Jesse, run!"

Jesse, ever adventurous and loyal, sprang to her feet. Hoss tried to stand in front of her, and she reached for her gun only to find it gone. She still had her knife in her sheath, though, and faced him.

It was clear Joe was only screaming from a nightmare, but they were both too scared to listen to reason now...

Jesse dove at Hoss with the knife, and Hoss ducked, not wanting to hurt her or be hurt. She raced out of the room, staggering, and made it down the hallway, kicking open the door to Joe's room.

Joe was trying to hobble away while Pa held him down.

"They have Jesse!" Joe yelled, still fighting like the devil.

"Let him go!" Jesse launched herself at Ben, who knocked the knife from her and and moved back, not wanting to fight the scared girl. Joe stared at her, shocked, for a moment.

"Jesse..." he sank to the floor. And Jesse crawled into his lap, clinging to him fiercely, as though scared he'd be stolen away if she let go. Adam entered, knowing the only was to appease these two and calm them as to go along with it.

"Sheriff Coffee already got the rustlers, you two." he said quietly.

"Jesse, you hands!" Joe cried, noticing fir the first time the bloody smell and how they were wrapped in bandages.

Jesse hadn't been changed from her bloody shirt, since he all felt very awkward about it and didn't want her to feel uncomfortable when she awoke by finding they'd changed her clothes.

"Pa, what's happening?" Joe asked drowse, still not willing to let Jesse go.

"We'll explain it in the morning." Ben said. It was growing to be dusk, now. "Adam, would you take Jesse back her room?"

"No! The rustlers are still here!" Joe held Jesse all the tighter, and Adam gave his father an imploring look.

"You two can stay together for tonight, then."

"Adam, get your gun, they might be coming." Adam obeyed his brother's request, if only to ease his mind, and Ben helped Joe into bed, Jesse still clinging to him.

"We won't let them get either of you two, I think Coffee's rounded them up anyways, but rest."

Soon they were both asleep, Joe still curled over Jesse in a protective posture.

Adam set down his gun and sighed. "There isn't ever going to be anyone who will split those two apart."

"I agree. The only way they'll quit fighting for one another is when they're both in the ground."

They all nodded there agreement, an Tom entered with two glasses of whiskey, gently waking Jesse.

"Jesse, drink this for me."

Jesse obeyed and was asleep again within minutes.

"She'll be asleep until tomorrow, now, until her hands stop being sore." Tom said. "The secound glass is for her i she does wake up."

Ben nodded. "How'd she manage to get Joe out of that trap, though?"

Adam shrugged. "Fear is a strong thing, Pa, fear makes people do things they normally couldn't do."

Pa shook his lead, looking at the both of them. "Fear is a strong force, yes, but so is love."


	6. Big Brother Adam

**Isaboe, this is for you. I figure I might as well portray Adam having to rescue them from trouble. Plz review, since I'm writing this chapter for you! Thanks to all my other readers, and please review and PM me suggestions as well! :)**

* * *

They raced through the streets if Virginia city on Cochese and Skyrun, Mason and his goons hot on here heels, screaming obscenities with every step of the way. And to think it'd stated out with a simply trip into town.

Jesse looked back at Gerard with hatred in his eyes. He was the one who'd started this entire mess, well, besides Joe helping out, but still, when a lady said she didn't want to dance,she didn't want to. Besides, she was dressed like a boy, and she didn't even want to dance! She waned a shot if whiskey and then to watch the men play poker, But apparently hat was too much to ask for in a Saloon with boys in it.

Then Gerard had pulled her out onto the floor, ad Joe hd been far too busy dancing with Melinda, Mason and Gerard's pretty older sister, to notice the death stare she was giving him, s she'd slapped Gerard like any self-respecting lady would do. She didn't want hurt him too badly, only wanted to get her message across.

But Gerard started up a holler and Melinda slapped Joe and Gerard grabbed her and pulled her close, a look of lust in his eyes, so she punched him, and from here it had become an all out brawl.

It hadn't even been a fair fight, with Mason and Gerard hitting the both of them while Melinda held Joe down and Mason beat him...

They managed to escape when she whirled and ended up sending Gerard over the bar, and sinking the toe of her boot into Mason's chest, between the ribs, knocking him off Joe.

Melinda, shameless as she was, shrieked and launched herself at her, skirt ruffling and cheeks redder than the tomato red rogue she was wearing. She'd never before had to hit anther girl, and she didn't like the prospect, so she pushed Melinda away and pulled a rather dazed Joe to his feet, pulling him outside.

They mounted hurriedly, but the siblings they'd angered were clannish nature and chased after them in their own well-bred mounts, leading them to the current situation.

They wove in and out of the tree, momentarily separating and meeting again once sheltered by a rocky outcropping before reaching the ponderosa's main house. The knew property lines wouldn't stop the Mcguther siblings from settling the score, however, and let the horses run to the barn as they raced inside the house.

Jesse latched and bolted the door, drawing the drapes hurriedly, while Joe ran upstairs and ran back down with two rifles and a box of bullets and powder.

Adam looked up from his book of poetry he'd been enjoying on the quiet evening, a bit alarmed. "What's gong on, you two?"

"Mcguther siblings are mad." Joe said, already priming the first rifle and handing it to Jesse. He quickly readied the second as the Mcguther's pounded into the yard, mad as hornets.

"Don't you two think you could reason with them?" Adam asked.

"I tried to reason back in the Saloon- it ended with me throwing Gerard over the bar." Jesse said quietly. Adam stared, bug eyed, for a minute.

"Joe, you took her to a saloon?"

"Can we please talk about this later, I'm saving all our skins right now!" Joe said, frustrated, as the siblings pounded on the door.

Adam, ever the gentleman, seized Joe and Jesse by the arm, dragging them outside, he smiled pleasantly at the Mcguthers,who gave him bloodthirsty, angry looks.

"Hello, Mason, Gerard, Melinda." he said, smiling his charming smile to each of the angry people in turn. "It appears there's a misunderstanding."

Mason scoffed. "Yeah. Your little wrecking ball of a sister threw Gerard over the bar and hit Melinda."

"Gerard dragged me onto the dance floor!" Jesse protested.

Adam's grip on her arm tightened as he spoke in a terse, clipped tone. "You apologize, Jesse, now."

She stared at the ground. "Sorry." she muttered.

Adam offered Mason his charming smile again. "Sorry about that Mason, it won't happen again."

Mason merely grunted and went to get his horse, which had wandered behind Jesse to graze. Suddenly Adam heard Jesse gasp and saw her cheeks flush red, and realized Mason had just tried to cop the field in his sister. Before Mason could blink, Adam had slugged him to hard he was out cold.

"And don't come back." Adam warned the two conscious siblings as they loaded Mason's slumped form onto his horse, eyes steely and voice hard.

"If either of you three go near my sister again, I'll knock you into next week."

Gerard and Melinda gave him hateful looks before riding away, and Adam turned to Jesse.

"You alright?" he asked, a bit embarrassed but more worried.

Jesse nodded. "I'm fine... Mason is such a jerk..."

Adam nodded. "I agree. I'll tell you what, you go get the rods and I'll take you fishing."

She immediately brightened, running off to get the fishing poles.

Joe looked offended. "Hey, I like fishing, too." he protested.

Adam grinned. "Great. Come along then, I'll let you be the bait." before Jesse raced over and seized him by the hand, too excited to stop running until they were at the lake.

As Joe watched the two forms far off in the distance, he realized Adam might not be as much fun as he was, but he sure knew how to protect his sister, and him, thankfully.


	7. Arrested

Adam sipped his whiskey quietly and watched the activity around the bar occurring quietly.

He stood to go- it was nearly one in the morning, and he'd had five shots of whiskey- he wasn't tipsy yet, but he hated how clouded his mind felt when he was drunk.

Suddenly he saw a flash of chestnut hair and green eyes and turned to see Jesse sitting at the poker table, laughing at a joke someone had said.

"Jesse!" He was shocked to see her here, and on a Friday night, no less, when all the ruffians came. He was even more shocked to realize he hadn't noticed.

He seized her by the arm and dragged her out of the saloon, taking her down the street.

"Pa told you not to go to the saloon alone!" He slapped her hand lightly, not wanting to hurt her badly but wanting his frustration and worry to be known.

"I wasn't alone. I was with you."

Adam stared at her. "You snuck along behind me..."

She nodded. "So I wasn't alone."

He noticed a cut on her cheek and gingerly reached up to wipe the blood away.

"Who did that to you?" He asked, voice hard. "Just some drunk guy..."

"And you didn't even have the sense to ask me for help." He muttered.

She shrugged. "You'd have tried to take me home if you knew..."

Suddenly they heard a crash as a drunk was thrown out of the Saloon, and he staggered towards them.

"Stay here Jesse. No, actually, go get on Skyrun while I help this guy home."

She nodded, not at all bothered she was being left alone in the night while there were all these rowdy people about.

Adam, on the other hand, was very nervous, and he helped the slurring man to shack he mumbled his address was before running back to find Jesse still safely on Skyrun. He sighed with relief and mounted Sport. He was going to give her a good talking to on the ride.

"I should tell Pa about this." Adam said vehemently. She gave him the heart-melting smile, and he sighed. He wasn't going to squeak on her like that. Besides, Pa wouldn't be happy to learn how late he'd stayed out.

"Fine, I won't tell Pa, but you wake up in four hours and do your chores and act good. Not a word about this to Pa, and you don't go to the saloon again with me without telling me you're tagging along."

She nodded, looking relieved.

"How'd you do in poker, by the way?" She shrugged. "Lost a few hands, but won two and after you count in the losses, I made a nickel."

Adam nodded, still wondering whether or not to switcher her when they reached the ponderosa or tell Pa. But then again, if they forbade her to go to the saloon, she'd just slip out on her own to go. "I'll take you with me every friday night if you promise not to go in there alone again."

She studied him, as though trying to see if he was joking or not, then nodded eagerly. He was relieved. At least he'd be able to keep an eye on her if she was with him...

She brushed off Skyrun and settled him before slipping upstairs into her room.

He stared for a moment, realizing he'd just agreed to let her come to a saloon with him every week when he should've switched her. He sighed and slipped into his room.

Why on earth did he never punish this girl? He supposed there was something about her, so Joe-like and determined, and he didn't want to break her spirit. Then again, she just might break her neck somehow if he didn't teach her common sense...

He sighed, closing his eyes. He'd teach her tomorrow, he had to sleep while he could...

He woke up and looked out the window, seeing the sheriff's horse int he yard and groaning. What trouble had Joe managed to get in now?

"Morning, Sheriff." He said, walking downstairs. Everyone gave him anxious looks. "What's wrong? Joe, did you do something?" Joe shook his head, still looking anxious. Sheriff Coffee cleared his throat.

"I hate to do this, but Adam, you're under arrest." Adam stared.

"Wh...what am I accused of?" The sheriff didn't meet his eyes.

"Murdering Hartford Key."

"Who? I have no idea who you're talking about." Adam said, growing slightly anxious.

"You were seen walking with him to his home. He was found dead today."

"Why would I kill him?" Adam asked, still confused.

"Because he hit Jesse. Several withbesses said he hit her with a bottle last night, and you must've wanted to get even..."

"I had no idea Jesse had followed me to the bar until I was leaving. She said a drunk had hit her when I asked, but she was fine, and I saw that Hartford Key fellow get thrown into the road, drunk and crazy, I couldn't just leave him there..."

"I believe you, son. But it's up to the jury." Adam bowed his head and nodded, knowing, no hoping the law was on his side. If it wasn't, he might hang. He said goodbye to his brothers before turning to Ben.

"Where's Jesse?"

"She's asleep. Please, don't wake her, Adam, she'll take it too hard with you still here..."

"I won't wake her, Pa." He slipped upstairs to find her fast asleep and tucked the covers tighter around her, planting a light kiss on her forehead before going off with the Sheriff, hands bound. The truth would come out. It just had to.

There was an informal interview in the town hall as soon as he arrived.

He told his side, and then Mason Mcguther spoke up. "He knocked me out!" He said, pointing an accusing finger.

"Yes, I admit to knocking Mason Mcguther out, but I only did so because he tried to cop the field on my sister."

"Well if he did that for simply Mason's trying to touch her, it isn't that hard to think he'd kill a man for cutting her with a bottle, is it?" Another man asked.

Murmuring rose from the crowd, now, and Adam felt his heart sinking. Maybe the law wasn't on his side...

Jesse woke up smiling to memories if the poker game last night, completely unaware if Adam's situation until she cane downstairs and found Hop Sing look'g worried.

"What's the matter, Hop Sing?"

"Sheriff take first son, say he murdered man."

She stared for a moment, dumbstruck. "What?"

Hop Sing shook his head.

Just then the door opened and Pa entered, looking grim.

"Jesse, you were with Adam last night, weren't you?"

She nodded. "Good. We need you as a witness..."


	8. The Questioning

She was at the questioning in minutes.

"Miss Peterson, is that right?" The man running it asked.

She nodded "yessir."

"Did Adam cartwright take Mr. Hartford home?"

"Yessir, Mr. Hartford was very drunk."

"How long was he gone?"

"A few minutes or so, sir. I didn't hear a shot or a stuggle."

"Really... That's good, because the man had his throat slit, not shot."

Everyone stared at her, now.

"With Mr. Hartford in his drunken state, it would've been easy for Adam to slit his throat quietly, would it not have been?"

"Yessir, he could've, but you neglect one fact. He had no blood on his clothes or knife. He wears the same clothes now as he did yesterday. Those from the saloon can attest to that."

Adam stepped out and allowed a deputy to examine his clothes, which weren't bloody.

"Could he not have washed them?" The man asked.

"If he'd washed the clothes, they would smell of lye soap, sir,they smell like whiskey, tobacco, and his cologne."

Adam blushed slightly at her mentioning his cologne, and the deputy sniffed him, much to his embarrassment.

"She's right, sir!" The deputy called, and the crowd chuckled at the odd scene they'd just witnessed.

"And I can find more evidence if you let me see the body." She'd seen Adam pouring over his Sherlock Holmes novels and had decided to try reading a few. They were actually quite useful.

The man huffed. "That is no place for a lady such as yourself to be. Could you not have helped Adam kill Hartford?"

She offered him a fake smile. "I could've sir, but I obviously didn't, because that's no place for a lady such as myself, a murder scene! Egad!"

Everyone laughter the retort, and the man felt his cheeks grow red.

"Ms. Peterson! Show some respect or I will throw you out for contempt of court!"

"I'm afraid you can't, sir, this isn't a formal hearing. Just an interview." She quipped.

"Ben, have you failed to teach her manners!?" The man yelled, exasperated.

"Jesse, apologize to Mr. Horn." Adam said, giving her a look.

She took a breath and obeyed. "I apologize for my impudence, Sir, it's been a very stressful situation."

Mr. Horn nodded. "I can tell. Next time, wear a dress and proper female attire, or contempt of court might be called..."

"I thought my brother was on trial for murder, Mr. Horn, not me on trial for my attire."

The crowd laughed again as Mr. Horn was bested by the quick-witted girl. "This meeting is over!" Mr. Horn yelled, but he crowd still laughed as Adam was taken back to the sheriffs and Jesse found Ben.

"How'd I do, Pa?" She asked, she'd taken to calling ben Pa now.

"You did well. Very supportive of Adam, I must say..."

She looked at the door, wondering if everything she'd done would be was set for tomorrow. She doubted anyone would try to hang Adam, but even the slim chance terrified her. Joe felt much the same.

As soon as they reached the ponderosa, he slipped up to his room to plan how he'd bust Adam out of jail. When dusk came, Pa entered his room.

"Joe, I don't want you trying to break Adam out of jail. We have to have faith in our justice system..."

Joe saw something out of the corner of his eye and saw Jesse throwing a rope from her window and starting to climb down trough a crack where her door was open. So she'd been planning the same thing.

He just had to distract Pa...

"I wasn't planning on it, Pa. How can they sentence an innocent man?"

Pa smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. Suddenly he seemed to notice something by the window...

He though fast, collapsing onto the floor in a heap and moaning, eyes closed...

Instantly Ben was beside him, looking him over worriedly.

"Joe? Are you alright? Answer me, son!"

He let his eyelids flutter open and a groan escape his lips. Jesse was probably gone by now...

"Joseph, can you hear me?"

"What? Yeah, Pa, I can hear you..." He sat up slowly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just felt kinda dizzy there for a few minutes. Must've been something I ate..."

He laid down on his bed. "I'm fine, Pa, just a little tired..."

As soon as Ben was gone, he peeped open an eyelid and grinned. He could be an actor someday.

She held her satchel and was abot to climb down the rope tied to the bedpost when she felt someone grab her by the collar and yank her off the windowsill.

It was Ben. She swallowed at the look of anger and disappointment on his face. Wordlessly, he opened the satchel and saw the dynamite she'd made to break Adam out. He ked her to the barn and switched her long and hard.

"Jessica." he said, looking so pained and disappointed it newrly broke her.

"You've been so wild... Sneaking into town, and niw this. Trying to break someone out of prision!"

They were nside, now. Ben led her to her room.

"You're not to attend the trial as punishment. You're to stay in here until I can fnd tme to talk to you..." he sht the door and locked it, leaving her to collapse onto the floor in despair.

She curled into a ball and silently let the teas come. Where had she gone wrong? She knew she shouldn't have made the dynamite, but she only wanted Adam... Oh, why couldn't she be a good girl?

And now Adam was going to hang... Crying wold do her no good, but she needed to cry, and so she let it out, before letting the blackness that hopelessness brought take her away.


	9. Reasons

_"Never give up, Jesse."_

_She stared into her mother's face._

_"But Ma, what am I supposed to do? Adams going to hang!" hot tears streamed down her cheeks, she was struggling to keep it together._

_"You'll know what to do when you come to the moment, sweet baby." her mother planted a kiss on her forehead and there was a flash of light._

_"Mama, mama, why does Ellie make fun of me?" se asked through tears, her mother gathered her youngest child close to her and held her._

_"Shh, shh, baby, she must have a reason. It might be a wrong reason, but everyone has a reason."_

It all faded to black silence, and she was suddenly standing alone...

She woke up in bed, Hope sing had set her breakfast on the table, but she wasn't hungry... It as noon. Adam's trial was beginning...

The reason... She'd heard rumor someone was on a loosing streak. Deputy Collins, if she remembered correctly. She'd played the queen of hearts and beat him at cards that night, and he'd said he had to get on hone to his wife...

But he wasn't married. He was probably waiting for them to deliver Hartford home so he could kill him and frame Adam. After all, he was in a gambling debt with him, what better way to get out of it than to off the man he owed?

The clock chimed twelve- the trial had begun. She knew what to do, she just had to do it, now...She tied her bedsheets together to make a rope and escaped, running to mount Sport, who was still wary of her. Her pleading tone of voice got the horse to run faster than she'd ever see. Him, though.

She dismounted at the courthouse, opening the door...

Everyone turned to stare at her, She locked eyes with Adam, whi cakled her tothe stand, putting full faith in her.

She met Little Joe's wide eyes and tried to smile, but she was so scared...

"Deputy Collins. You were there at the bar that night, I beat you st poker. You left before Adam did, said yo neededto get home to your wife, but you weren't married, You waited until Adam dropped Hartford off before killing hm and framing Adam. Why? Because you were in gambking debt with him. What better way to get out of debt than to off the man you owe?"

Gasps went up from the crowd, and she saw Deputy Collins had his gun pointed at her.

"Come here, or I off you now." he said gruffly.

She obeyed, stepping fearlessly towards him but knowing she could be walking towards death.

"Collins, please, no, don't do this! She's just a child!" she heard Adam's desperate pleading and Collins scoffed.

"So put out over a little girl, Adam. You cold've saved her this fate if you was hung."

Collins had her in a headlock now, gun to her head, and he backed out of the courthouse, mounting his horse, gun still to her head, and dug in his heels.

Adam's heart nearly broke as he saw her offer him a wane smile as she looked back. Here were so many words put into t it was hard to express. Bravery, fear, love, faith that he'd come for her, and a promise. A promise she'd try her bet to survive while she was waiting for him to come and rescue her.

He vowed to himself as they disappeared from sight he'd make sure it didn't come to her fighting for her life like that. But tha didn't mean he wasn't worried.

* * *

**Ta-da! Sorry, i know its short, but I wanted to get it outthere. I'll updae as soon as I get three more refiws, evenifthat means the same person has to review twice! I'm so evl eith my cliffhangers!**


	10. The Escape and Breadcrumb Trail

They were well into the dessert by the time Collins took his gun away from her head. She knew it was no use trying to jump off the horse- it'd only get her hurt and Collins would catch her again.

She needed Adam now, more than anything. She'd disobeyed Pa by coming to the courthouse, but she knew Pa would understand she needed to testify. In proving Adam innocent, had she sentenced herself to death?  
She found a box full of bullets and remembered the fairytale hansel and grettle, starting to leave a trail of bullets behind them.

She had no idea where Collins was taking her until it began to grown dark.  
Then she saw the outcropping of Devil's foot rise in the distance. It was a rocky place with an old cave at the to. They'd no doubt be taking shelter there for the night.

"She's clever. She'll find a way to lead us to them." Adam assured the posse riding with them. He saw a trail of bullets leading away into the dessert and dismounted to examine them.

"Good girl." he praised, though he knew she wasn't there to hear it. He'd tell her how smart that'd been when he found her, and he had no doubt he would find her, soon.

Her wrists hurt from being bound by the thick, rough rope, but she didn't resist. She let him bound her ankles as well. She was tired fri. Thinking around in circles, and he didn't even start a fire int he cave.

"Stay still. If I find you trying to escape, you'll regret it."

He laid down and huffed, finally drifting off to sleep. She knew now was her chance, and rolled to the mouth of the cave. She took a breath and rolled over the edge, feeling the breath leave her as she landed on her face and hearing bone crack as she landed heavily on her arm. It was broken, she knew, but she took slow, measure breaths so as not to cry out and rolled over. There were sharp rocks all around her- she could've had a much worse landing. She rolled and sat back, cutting her bonds on a sharp rocks and moving to do the same with her ankles.

She staggered to her feet, weighing her options. She might find her trail of bullets and Adam following it, she hoped, and so she staggered forward, arm hanging awkwardly by her side. She hoped doc Martin was with them, as well.  
She tripped on a bullet and smiled despite her pain. Her throat was like sandpaper, she was so thirsty, she hadn't had food or water all day... Adam would take care of her, she was sure..

She started to follow the trail, trying to ignore the pain in her arm as she felt the ends of the bone grind together...

She saw a light bobbing in the distance, and felt her heart lift slightly. The light in the middle of the dessert meant only on thing- the posse was coming.  
Adam saw the outline of the small figure and dismounted, running towards her.

"Jesse!"

"Adam..." her voice was hoarse, and he saw as he approached her that her face was sunburned. Still, her skin had a grayish tint to it.

She shuddered, suddenly feeling cold...

He raced to her as she stumbled, setting down the lantern to grab her.  
Even now, he saw she was hurt by the way she carried her arm and the look of pain in her eyes.

"He's in the devil's foot." she muttered, panting. The men were catching up by now, Adam could feel every muscle in her body tremble as he sat down, holding her across his lap like a child.

He fumbled for his canteen and put it to her lips, and she drank quickly before having to come up to draw a breath.

"Not too fast, Jesse, you'll make yourself sick."

She leaned against him, whimpering quietly.

"How badly does it hurt?"

In response, she started to cough up blood, and he stared in horror as the red that dribbled down her chin.

He wiped it away with his hand and she drew another shaky breath. "Don' leave me..." she pleaded feverishly, and he held her even closer.

"I won't, Jesse, you know I never would. Such a clever girl..." he ducked his head to hide the tear escaping down his face. Doc Martin as already beside him, working on her...

She laid frighteningly still in Adam's lap, and Adam finally looked up. "He's in Devil's foot, she said. Go on."

One man stared. "You mean you're not coming? After he did this to your sister?""No! I won't leave her!"

"She looks pretty far gone. Just come, don' you want revenge?"

"Shut up!" Adam held her even closer to his chest, and the men saw something that made them silence the one man and silently move on towards Devil's Foot. As they left them behind in the darkness, they saw a tear falling down Adam's face, and gave him alone time, as was his due, so they wouldn't see him cry.


	11. Recovery

Adam had promised himself he wouldn't sleep after they'd ridden home, that he'd keep vigil by her bedside, but the emotional and physical toll of the day caught up with him, and his chin went to his chest as he slipped off to a sleep littered with nightmares. Ben, Joe, Tom and Hoss ad all gone with separate posses, and the word she'd been found hadn't caught up with them yet. Even then, it would be a half a day's ride to reach the ponderosa.

She woke to find herself dizzy and waited for the room to come into focus. Adam was beside her... She was starving. Adam was asleep. In the middle of the morning. Something had to be wrong with him, he was a workaholic, after all. She found a small bird she'd whittled and threw it at him with her good hand, and he started awake.

"Jesse!" he wrapped his arms around her and held her close, burying his face in her chestnut hair, which shone golden in the sunlight streaming thorough the window. He smelled her scent, the scent of lavender she and the inly feminine aspect she really had, which she managed to keep despite hours of working with filthy cattle...

"I thought I lost you..." he muttered into her hair, she felt his tears dripping down onto her and was shocked for a moment, before returning his hug awkwardly, since her arm was in a plaster cast...

Doc Martin entered t find the two siblings like that, smaller sibling wrapped in her older brother's embrace, the sunlight through the windows seeming to frame the image. He smiled. He wanted them to stay like this, but they heard the door open and started.

He cursed himself mentally, reminding himself to knock next time. Adam quickly wiped his eyes.

"Yes, Doc?"

"I just wanted to see how she's doing." Adam moved aside, and Jesse looked repulsed by the idea.

"I'm fine, Doc..."

"Heat exhaustion, combined with your other injures and dehydration, isn't anything to be taken lightly young lady." He said sternly.

She rolled her eyes, and Adam felt reassured by the gesture. She clearly was feeling better.

"Jesse, you'll let him examine you and that's final." Adam said, and Paul moved forward to begin. She clearly looked disgusted at the thought but allowed him to look in her mouth and eyes, and finish the examination.

"She's definitely on the mend. Quite a nasty break if the arm, though, don't let her get the cast wet. Here, this is to help with the pain." he poured out a black, bitter smelling liquid onto a spoon, and Jesse wrinkled her nose.

"I'll deal with the pain, thanks." she said.

"Jesse, you'll take it." Adam said firmly.

"Adam..."

"Jesse, do as I say."

She remembered what and happened the last time she disobeyed and reluctantly opened her mouth and allowed Paul to dose her with it.

She swallowed painfully and gagged, feeling it burn her throat like smoke from burning carcasses of sick cattle.

"Alright?" Adam asked quietly, noticing the slow breath she took to keep herself from gagging again.

"Yes. What is that stuff?" she asked, looking disgusted still.

"Pain reliever." Paul said.

"Can'tcha just give me whiskey?" she asked, and Paul chuckled.

"No. I want you in bed for at least three days, Adam, be sure to give her plenty of fluids, as well as food and rest. I'll come by then to chck on her. Oh, and this..."

She felt tired all of a sudden, and comfortably warm, and before she was aware of it she was asleep again.

Ben had heard news from the posse as to what state Jesse was in, and he and Tom pushed their horses to the limit on the ride to get home.

Tom seemed ti try and sooth him. "She'll pull through Pa, she always does."

"Tom, be quiet. I'll be alright when she's well, now don't talk, ride."

Tom was silent for the rest of the ride. Ben regretted snapping at he boy, but his calm reassurance that Jesse would be fine nagged a him. Tom had known Jesse longer than any of them, he was her blood brother, after all, but still, he was worried about the little girl, and wouldn't rest until he saw she was well.

He finally pulled up around noon and dismounted, leaving the horse for the ranch hands to care for, racing inside, praying Jesse was alright...

He ran into the room to find Adam bent over her sleeping form, stroking her chestnut hair as she slept, an expression of calm on his eldest's face that he'd never seen before.

Adam looked up when he noticed Ben.

"She's going to be alright, Pa." Adam assured him.

"Thank god." Ben sat beside Adam at hr bedside, noticing the beads of sweat on her feverish face as she slept.

"She's sweating it out, now, the fever's in it's last throws. Heat exhaustion was pretty bad, but she's alright."

Ben gingerly reached out and ran his hand over the rough plaster adorning her arm. He hated the cast on her, it showed how badly she truly was hurting and seemed to taint her natural look of health and optimism.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"She was tied up in the cave at Devil's foot, she said, she rolled out and landed badly on the rocks but managed to find the posse. Doc Martin said it was a good thing she did. She'd have passed out b morning from the dehydration and heat, and Collins wouldn't have been able to carry her, he would've shot her."

Ben nodded, still watching his daughter sleep.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked sleepily.

"Pa?"

"I'm here, Jesse." Ben hurried to be closer to her. "How do you feel?"

"Like a steer rolled all over me." she muttered, giving him a wane smile.

"Hungry?" Adam asked, offering her a mug if broth. She sat up. And took t, drinking most of it.

"Thanks. Pa, I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have left the house when you said not to, but Adam needed me..."

"I understand, Jesse." Ben perched on the edge of her bed, stroking her hair. "And I'm proud I have that brave a little girl on my ranch."

She coughed. "I ain't little, Pa." she protested.

"Such a brave young lady." Ben said, smiling at her refusal to be called a girl.

"Not a proper lady, Pa, I ain't going to be caught dead in a dress." she said.

Adam saw the pain clearly in her eyes and filled the spoon with the black medicine.

"Adam, please, no. It tastes so bad." she pleaded.

Adam sighed. "I know,but it'll take away the pain. Come on, now."

She reluctantly opened her mouth and took her medicine.

"At least now I won't have to take a bath, since I can't get this cast wet." she said.

Adam chuckled at her optimism. "Yes, we'll just let you wallow in your own filth for awhile..."

"So they made ya innocent, Adam?" she asked quietly, a sure sign she was growing more tired by the second.

"Thanks to you they did, Jesse. They said you fell at least fifteen feet and broke your arm. They caught Collins in the cave, he's been sentenced to prison in california, where he won't ever bother you again."

She nodded, closing her eyes and allowing her breathing to slow. Once again she slipped off to the land of dreams.


	12. Brother Tom

On the third day,when Doc Martin had said she could finally get up, she was up before anyone, wolfing down breakfast, Hop Sing gave her a hesitant look.

"Little daughter sure she alright?" he asked warily.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Hop Sing. I've been in bed for three days. Someone needs to check the trap lines, anyways." she finished her oatmeal quickly- it felt good to get back into the normal routine of things- and slid on her boots to go outside. Thankfully, her cast stopped just below the elbow, so she still could bend her arm and do normal things, she just had to deal with the cast chafing. It wasn't much of a problem, though, and she mounted Notty, who'd missed her company for the past few days and nuzzled her happily.

She gave the little pony a good nose rub before climbing on and making ready to check the trap line, finding the late May air refreshing as she dug in her heels and started Notty off at a brisk trot.

The traps were all empty, but the ride had been refreshing, anyways. She slipped outside to find Adam waiting for her, looking stern.

"You didn't take your medicine."

She sighed but dismounted, managing not to spit it out.

"Doc Martin said you're to be taking it easy." Ben reminded her, looking at her with concern.

"I know, Pa. What's easier than riding Notty to help on the drive?"

Ben looked warily over and noticed Tom was already out working. He felt a pang, remembering how short he'd been with the boy when he'd turned out to be right about Jesse after all. He'd have to speak with the boy later.

"Fine then, Jesse, but I expect you to come inside and rest if you get tired."

"I will, Pa." she grabbed her canteen and went out to fill it at the water pump.

As soon as she was gone, Ben turned to the rest of the boys. "I want you all to keep an eye on her. If she starts acting tired, send her in."

"I will, Pa." Joe said, surprising them all by taking responsibility first.

They all agreed before slipping outside with her.

She looked out over the horizon, seeing Tom was already about rounding up strays, and galloped Notty over to join him.

She was relieved when Tom, didn't ask about her arm, or look so concerned. No, Tom knew her well enough to know she was alright. Tom knew her better than any of the Cartwrights, but he was content to watch her most of the times.

Tom had always been a hard worker, but he worked even harder on the Cartwright ranch. She knew it was because he felt indebted to the Cartwrights for helping them, but she couldn't help but also suspect that Tom worked so hard trying to earn Ben's love, as well.

But Ben was a man run not only by work ethic, but by person, an Tom just wasn't that much of a talker. She could tell her brother's moods by looking at him, and even though they hadn't spoken that much in the first two months they'd been with the Cartwrights.

Tom no doubt felt he had to act as a father and brother to her sometimes, and she allowed him to. She only wished she could satisfy his yearning for Ben Cartwright's love.

Tom turned Skyrun left as he started driving a stray back towards the herd, and she followed suit with another two, bringing them back to the main group of bawling, mooing cattle.

"Pa will want to move them to the easter corral today." Tom said, and she nodded, knowing her brother was right.

"Keep to the left flank. We can drive them by ourselves. You know that new move, the cut and run, right?"

She nodded again.

"Watch for strays, alright?"

"I know, Tom. Adam taught me some new moves. We'll be fine."

Tom nodded and started forward, driving the thirty steer towards the corral and wondering if he'd made a mistake in trying to do this without the Cartwrights. It wasn't that he was inexperienced, but two people trying to keep thirty head of cattle together was a stretch, and if he ended up scattering the herd Ben would be even madder at him, especially for taking Jesse into this.

Three strays tried to break on Jesse's side, and she had Notty leap forward, cutting one away from the other two escapes and sending it back into the herd, turning Notty and frightening the other two with such a swift maneuver into rejoining the herd and turning Notty again, holding the herd solid on her side. Tom mentally praised her before returning his focus to his own side.

The eastern corral was in sight now, he was confident the herd wouldn't break up, and he allowed himself to beam with pride for he last stretch as he watched Jesse, her chestnut braid swishing like a horse's tail as she focused intently on keep her side of the herd together. Adam certainly had taught her well...

He jumped down and shut the gate ti the corral, nodding to Jesse.

"Good drive." he commented. She grinned. Praise like that was a rare treat.

"Won't Pa be surprised when they find we finished it..."

"Adam, did you tell them to go?" Ben asked, a bit surprised as they started off.

"No, why?"

Ben shook his head. "They'll scatter the herd trying to drive them with only the two of them. They aren't experienced enough."

Ben was already hurriedly sliding on his boots when he felt Adam place a hand on his shoulder.

"They're doing fine, Pa- I think they'll make it. Have a little faith."

Ben took a breath and nodded.

To his surprise they rode up a few moments later, Jesse beaming and Tom nodded.

"Got them driven in. No strays." was all Tom said, turning and dismounting Skyrun to go and start mucking out the stalls.

Jesse, to his surprise, came with him, grabbing her own pitchfork from the wall and joining him silently in the work. She normally went with Ben and the Cartwrights, since Tom had to admit they talked to her more than he did. He was an observer, mainly.

And he observed she was definitely the favorite, like Little Joe was Ben's favorite son, she was Ben's only, and favorite, daughter. Sometimes he felt forgotten, so was Ben's inclination to dote on Jesse and shower her in his attention.

Of course, Jesse was always a wild thing, that was why she took the risks she did. Whenever he felt forgotten, he simply went out to work harder, reminding himself it was good, no, great for Jesse to always be fathered by Ben and treated so well by the rest the Cartwrights. Still, her ducking in to work with him instead of the Cartwrights reminded him she never forgot him.

She didn't looked up as she devoted herself to mucking out the stalls, sweat beading on her forehead as she brushed a stay strand of hair from her face. Silence. She was used to his silence, it was normal, for her,until they were alone. Tom had always been one to observe and voice his thoughts to only a few people, and Jesse was one of his chosen few besides his parents, who were both gone, so now she was his only.

"Do you think Pa worries about you too much?" he asked quietly, not voicing his own opinion for fear of upsetting her.

"Absolutely. Just because I'm little, doesn't mean I'm weak."

Tom grinned and leaned on his pitchfork. He was glad his sister agreed with him. He watched her quiet a bit, had watched her when she was little, and knew all her clues letting into emotions and pain.

"I wish he'd quit babying me. For example, I can't go to the saloon by myself."

"Pa is right to keep you from the saloon. That's where you met Collins, remember."

She nodded a the memory, agreeing. "Alright. But he worries far too much. Won't let me into town by myself, for example."

"You just be good, Jesse, and he'll see."

"No, he won't, he'll never see! You're lucky, he trusts you enough to let you alone. With me it's always, "do you want to", "are you alright", "are you sure," "are you strong enough". I'm strong enough, and we both know it. You practically have the run of the place! Pa... Pa always let me try new things..." her lower lip trembled, and and Tom knew she didn't mean Ben when she said Pa this time, she meant their real Pa.

Tom wrapped her in a hug, knowing it would calm her. True, their Pa had always let Jesse try new things, but Pa ad also always been with her to watch for her and pull her out if she ever bit off more than she could chew. Ben was much older than their Pa, though, Tom knew he probably couldn't be with Jesse as much as Pa had been.

He heard her voice, barely above a whisper, as he held her.

"What if Pa never comes back, Tom?"

He pulled away to look into her tear filled eyes.

"Don't you say that, you know he'll come back, Jesse. He'll be back by August, at the latest. He wouldn't leave us. Now come on, quick fretting and help me clean up this horse crap."

She couldn't help but laugh through her tears and wiped her eye on the handkerchief he'd handed her, smiling slightly.

"Nothing like horse crap to heal a heartache." Tom tried again, gently patting her back, and she smiled and started to work once again beside him, reassured Tom, the one who knew her best, was still believing their Pa would come home. As long as Tom had faith, her own spirits were lifted.

They finished mucking out the barn, and, finding herself, for once, with a bit of idle time, Jesse mounted Notty for a quick ride. She knew the place where she was going, trotting quickly through the woodland paths.

She reached the valley, seeing the butter cups and wild phlox in bloom and smiling. It smelled sweet, the place was warm...it was just before supper, she laid down for a moment to stare up at the sky.

Ben took Tom aside for supper, placing a hand on his shoulder. He took a breath- he owed the boy an apology- and he quickly did as he knew was right.

"Tom... Son, I'm sorry for snapping at you when we were riding home to find Jesse. I was just very worried about your sister..."

"I understand, Pa, it's just I've known Jesse long enough to predict the girl. I knew she was hurt, but I knew she wasn't at death's door, either. The kid has something wild in her. I was jut trying to reassure you, Pa, and most of the time my assumptions are correct."  
"Yes, most of the time they are, son." Ben smiled, and they both turned to go inside.

"Has anyone seen Jesse?" Ben asked, slightly concerned when the youngest didn't return home. They all answered no, and suddenly there was a sharp knocking at the door. Ben's heart jumped to his throat when he saw Sheriff Coffee standing before him.

"What is it, Roy?"

"Indians have been spotted around the Ponderosa, Ben..." just then Notty trotted into the yard, riderless, and it hit Ben like a wrecking ball.

"Adam, get the rifles ready." He said calmly. "I think we just figured out why Jesse was late."

"Pa, no." Tom stood, to everyone's surprise.

"Tom, it's obviously the reason why..."

"Don't sling accusations about, Pa, you'll start a war! Jesse could just be dawdling."

"She might not want to take her medicine." Adam agreed, entering and holding up the bottle.

Tom stared. "Let me see that." he read the label and sighed. "It's got alcohol in it. She's probably asleep, wherever she is..."

"The indians could already have her." Hoss pointed out.

"They wouldn't harm her, she's just a child for one thing, and for another, she speaks there language. I'll go find her..."

Ben stared. "You have half an hour, Tom, then I go and confront them."  
"Yes, Pa." Tom was already running to get onto Skyrun, knowing the loyal horse would take him to Jesse, who hopefully wasn't with the indians, and prevent Ben from starting a war.

He bent over the horse's neck, knowing Ben wasn't normally this rash, just afraid for Jesse- he had a feeling he knew where the girl was, though, and he spurred Skyrun on, stopping just outside the meadow.  
Either he found Jesse or Ben assumed she'd been captured by indians, and gen the worst could happen.

"Jesse! JESSE! JESSICA SCARLETT PETERSON, COME OUT!"

He took three steps and nearly stepped on her peacefully sleeping form. He looked down at her and chuckled. The medicine must have really made her sleep if she hadn't woken from his yelling. She was normally a light sleeper...

He gathered her into his arms. It wasn't a struggle for him to carry her, and he mounted Sky run once again, starting to race back towards home...

"Jesse!" He was instantly met with all the anxious Cartwrights, as well as the sheriff, and managed to set her on the couch.

"She's fine, just fell asleep from the medicine..."

she opened bleary eyes and sat up. "Pa? Pa, I'm sorry, I must've fallen asleep..."

Ben placed his hand over her small one. "It's alright, Jesse, as long as you're alright..." Ben realized how close he'd come to starting a war to try and save her, and was slightly shocked...

"Ben, I hate to interrupt, but the indians have arrived..." Sheriff Coffee said, and everyone froze, wondering if they'd suddenly gotten Jesse back only to all be massacred together.


	13. The Indian Girl

Adam moved forward, opening the door. He would've tried to speak, but the men were already gesturing...

Jesse said some gibberish, and everyone stared, shocked to see Jesse speaking in the indian tongue.

The indian man quickly nodded an replied, and he and Jesse exchanged a few words before Jesse turned to Adam.

"He says his daughter has been captured by a rancher. They believe the man is going to take the passes that lead across the Ponderosa to escape with her. They want us to show them the passes, they're desperate."

Adam turned to Ben. "What do you think, Pa?" he asked.

Ben nodded, knowing how desperate he'd be if Jesse was the one kidnapped.

"Tell them we'll give them whatever aid they require and show them the passes. Boys, go saddle the horses."

Her brothers quickly obeyed and Ben struggled not to stare as Jesse fluently replied in the indian tongue. The indian man nodded and presented Ben with a bag made of deer hide, filled with finely made bone knives and beads...

Ben turned to Jesse, who quickly explained. "It's indian custom to give gifts when you pass through a stranger's land. Don't refuse it, or you dishonour them."  
Ben nodded, and she stood to go to saddle Notty.

"Jesse, what are you doing?" he asked.

"You need me, Pa, I speak their language. How else will you understand them?"

Ben set his jaw firmly, knowing she was right. "Fine. But you're to be careful, you understand? Stay with your brothers all the time."

She nodded before racing out to the barn to catch up with the boys.

The indian man who spoke gruff english spoke. "Girl brave."

Ben nodded. "Sometimes too brave for her own good."

* * *

She found herself speaking with the indian men as they rode, discussing the weather and seasons and how it would affect everything. She understood most of the language, since she'd lived among them for a week

They were from the Washoe tribe, they were Natives around Carson city.  
Why she'd been found by indians in Colorado who spoke Washoe, she had no idea, but it was luck that she had been, since she cold converse with most of the Washoe around Carson city.

Even now as she spoke with the men, she was learning.

The girl's name was Sagebrush, she was thirteen and about enter into the right of passage from girlhood to womanhood, but then she'd been kidnapped by the rancher.  
Jesse noticed Adam watching her, an expression of curiosity on his face as she conversed with the Indian men. All her brothers were no doubt wondering what she was saying.

There were three passes, and they'd been joined by at least a dozen more indian men on the way up so they could post guard at each pass. She didn't know the passes well, except for one, they one she and Tom had used to escape from Simon, so she was sure to keep up with everyone.

Night came, and she saw Adam motion for her to come sit around the fire. There was indian talk, of course, and she laughed at the jokes and translated when the men wanted her to, alternating between eating and speaking.

Finally, Adam turned to her. "It's well past your bedtime, you should be sleeping."  
She sighed, not really wanting to obey but knowing she had to. She dragged her sleeping bag over beside Adam but thought better of it, instead choosing to curl up in his lap until she drifted off.

Adam placed her on her bag when he decided he, too, was going to turn in, making sure to lay down beside her. He still wasn't sure whether or not to trust the indians, and he definitely wasn't going to leave Jesse alone to find out.

* * *

Hoss slept fitfully, dreams littered with flashes of his mother's face coming through. Indians...

He finally decided not to sleep, not to risk the nightmares, and he wondered. He didn't hate all indians, in fact, he only hated those who'd killed his Ma. But he was still more wary than most about them.

He stood, knowing they'd need water for the day and that there was a spring about a mile or so east. He was just filling the canteens when he saw her.

She was wearing a buckskin dress, with black hair that fell well past her shoulders and tan skin, as well as deep brown eyes.

She was astride a fine gelding with no saddle, only a bit in his mouth, and she eyed him fearfully. He felt himself soften when he saw how much she resembled Jesse.

"Hey there, Miss."

She turned to pull the pony away, and he quickly undid his gun belt and let it fall to the ground, holding his empty hands, palms up. She still looked afraid, and he remembered hearing what Jesse had called the man who was her father...

He slowly tried to repeat the name, stumbling and failing miserably, but she knew what he was trying to say and cocked her head.

He nodded and pointed, repeating the name again. "He's up yonder." he said, repeating the name.

The girl had the pony take a step forward, still looking hesitant, and Hoss nodded, slowly picking up his gun belt. He put the pistol in the saddle bag, so as not to frighten her, and motioned for her to follow as they started up the hill.

Sagebrush wondered if she should trust this white man. She'd already been kidnapped by a man of the same color, but she'd knocked him out and stolen his horse only hours before, before stumbling across this man. He was large and looked friendly, but she was still wary, until he tried to say her father's name. Then she knew her father had gotten this man to help, and allowed him to lead her to her father.

* * *

"Pa, I'm going to get water, alright? I'll be real quick. Hoss is already probably there, and he forgot to grab my canteen." Jesse said, standing.

Ben nodded, grateful she'd asked him to go rather than just going off. "Alright, but be quick. We have to move out to the third pass by noon..."

She nodded, starting Notty off at a brisk trot down towards the spring.

Halfway there, she ran into Hoss and Sagebrush, who stared at her.

She was relieved Hoss had managed to find the girl, and a bit excited to finally meet the illusive Sagebrush.

Sagebrush felt relief course through her as she saw this other girl, who was obviously friendly with Hoss. If the big man treated this girl well, there was no longer a doubt in his character...

"Are you alright?" Sagebrush was surprised to hear the girl speak in her native tongue. It felt so good to reply once again in her native language. This white girl was definitely trustworthy, she decided, as they began to talk...

There was a noise in the brush, but they were too busy talking to notice, and Hoss was watching Jesse make a friend of the indian girl, surprised by her knowledge of the language...

And then the butt of the rifle came down on Hoss's head and he fell, leaving the two girls alone.

The hands of the rancher closed around Sagebrush's arm as he yanked her off the gelding, and Jesse had left her pistol back at camp, not expecting to be gone long...

There was no way Jesse was going to leave Sagebrush with this man, and she pulled her knife from the sheath and threw, striking the man in the right shoulder. The man yelled and pulled out the knife, shoving Sagebrush aside and pulling Jesse from her mount, throwing her on the ground...

Jesse slammed into a tree face first and was still. Sagebrush saw it all, too terrified to speak, and the rancher turned back to her, binding her hands behind her back again and doing the same to Jesse, before slinging the girl's unconscious form unceremoniously across the saddle of her horse and motioning for Sagebrush to follow.

She did, sitting behind and keeping Jesse's body from sliding off the horse, and the man took the reigns of the pony, leading them both away from camp and Hoss's unconscious body, deeper into the woods where there was no hope of escape...


	14. Out of the fire and into the frying pan

"Hoss!" Adam raced towards his brother's slumped form, shaking him urgently.

"Hoss! Come on, brother!"

"Adam..." Hoss moaned and tried to roll over, suddenly remembering.

"JESSE! Jesse gal, Hoss is comin' for ya!" He jumped to his feet and ended up sprawled on the ground again.

"Stay still, Hoss, I'll get Pa." Adan drew his gun and fired three shots, knowing Ben would arrive at any moment.

"Adam... They got Jesse..." Hoss said, tears filling his eyes.

"We'll find her, Hoss, don't you worry..."

Adam heard the pounding of hooves in the distace and prayed they'd be able to findrhe girls before it was too late.

* * *

Sagebrush noticed Jesse struggling. No doubt the girl was both tired and dizzy after being knocked unconscious, but she bore her burdens without complaint.

Finally, they set up camp. The man threw them some hard biscuits as he started to cook the beans for himself over the small fire.

The darkness seemed to press in on them from all sides, and Jesse leaned in to whisper to her.

"We have to cut the bonds." Sagebrush said quietly, before Jesse could speak. Jesse nodded towards the man, who was asleep. There were no knives in reach, though, and it seemed hopeless...

They'd been tied to a tree and given a short lead, and Jesse scooted forward, thrusting her wrists into the fire.

Sagebrush stared as the girl grit her teeth against the pain and the flames devoured the rope...

A moment later her hands were free, and she gingerly untied Sagebrush's ropes.

Sagebrush stared at Jesse's red flesh, which was already blistering.

"That was foolish, Jesse." She said, the name feeling strange as it came from her mouth. She'd never spoken to a person who wasn't an indian before.

"Yeah, but it worked." Jesse replied, slipping over to the man.

Sagebrush was already checking his satchel, finding a canteen and some jerky...

She watched Jesse nimbly take the man's gun and her knife back, and start towards the horse, who eyed her nervously.

Jesse offered a hand and soon calmed the beast, turning to Sagebrush.

"Let's go."

And then they were gone, both silently slipping off in the moonlight, far away from the awful rancher...

They were soon out of water, and Sagebrush pointed to a small pond. Jesse turned the horse towards it, and was kneeling to fill the canteens when she heard it. The buzzing, awful sound of a rattle snake.

"Don't... Move..." She warned Sagebrush, who was a few feet away gathering blackberries. She realized all too late they'd stumbled on a rattlesnake den.

The horse was afraid of the snakes, she saw at least six coiled near them. They must've lived in the craggy rocks by the pond...

The horse blew out a breath and stomped his feet nervously, and two snakes struck, each biting a leg.

The horse reared in fright and fell to his side, convulsing as the venom started to do its work, hanging on, breathing labored as Jesse wondered what to do.

The horse was going to die, she knew that, and if she went to draw the pistol, she'd be bitten. Her one hope might be the water...

She heard Sagebrush yell and turned to see a rattlesnake with teeth sunk deep into the girl's leg. She forgot all reason and lunged forward with her knife, decapitating the snake and feeling what felt like fire enter her own arm as a snake bit her as well...

She grabbed Sagebrush, who'd fallen to her knees, carrying the girl with unknown strength as she ran from the clearing...

She reached a valley and laid Sagebrush down, pulling up her dress to reveal the two pinpricks the fang had made...

She kept her focus as she felt the world around her spin, withdrawing her knife and carving a large x in the flesh over the wound, pressing her mouth to it and sucking out the venom as best she could before struggling to do the same for her own wound, gagging and spitting the hot blood onto the ground...

She was dizzy, so dizzy, her arm was on fire, but Sagebrush laid frighteningly still beside her, and she feared she'd failed her companion...

She held Sagebrush in her arms and wept, bitter tears falling from her face onto her companions- they'd survived so much together, how could she b to loose her now?

She staggered to her feet, feeling the muscles already assaulted by the venom seem to melt like ice cream. She hauled Sagebrush into her arms as well, though she knew she was slipping, slipping towards the black water of senselessness that threatened to pull her under.

Whether it would take her to death or sleep, she didn't know, but she fought it anyways, stumbling upwards... Upwards. The camp...

It was agony trying to carry Sagebrush with ehr wounded arm, but she wasn't going to set her down.l.l

"Joe! Joe, help!" She screamed desperately, finding her feet again after falling. Sagebrush could be dying in her srms, there was nothing she could do, every nerve was fraying ss the venom took hold...

Every rustle was a gunshot, every rock and stump a face of her loved ones, mutilated and dead...

"Joe! Joe, help me, Please!"

She stumbled again and leaned against a tree, realizing if she gave up and hit her knees here she'd die, and the night are would all be over...

* * *

Noon had long since come, and they men had been searching without success since dawn, when they'd found Hoss.

Adam didn't want to admit it, but he was worried, very worried...

"JESSE! Where are ya, girl!?" Joe called from where he sat astride Cochiese. Little Joe was the only one whose faith wasn't slipping.

Maybe it was because he was obviously Jesse's favorite companion, or maybe it was because they had bonded the most. Maybe, Adam thought, as he heard Joe's voice echo on the mountain, he simply refused to accept the fact she was dead.

Dead or gone forever, probably. It broke his heart to think of his little brother waiting up every night for his sister who would never come home...

He swallowed when he realized she wouldn't even have a proper grave. She'd be left out here to fade back to earth, after the mountain lions and wolves had eaten her flesh...

"JESSE!" Joe stared, as though he'd heard something.

"I'M COMIN' SIS!" Joe yelled, digging his heels into Cochiese with such force it shocked them all, and Cochiese, as though already aware of the situation, was barreling towards the whisper of her voice that had come on the wind.

Everyone stared for a moment before racing off after Joe, daring to hope.

* * *

"Joe..." She muttered hoarsely. She summoned the strength to stand again, Sagebrush in her shaking arms...

When Joe was with her, everything would be alright. She'd die, if she needed to die, in her brother's arms, or simply lay in his strong embrace for a long sleep...

Cochese thundered into the clearing, soon followed by Ben, Adam, and Tom, as well as the indians... Joe didn't wait for Cochese to stop, but jumped off as the pinto was moving, racing to her side to catch her as her legs gave out...

The Indian men took Sagebrush from her arms, and Joe knelt beside her and held her in his arms...

"Joe... We're snake bit..." She muttered, panting. "Rattlesnake... Sagebrush is bad... I don't think they got me that bad..."

Joe stared at the two pinpricks in her calf where blood was oozing, tears blurring his vision. Two little pinpricks, two fangs and pierced her skn. Was tha all it would take to kill her?

He could already feel the heat radiating off her small form, from the dried blood her her knife he knew she'd already tried her best to suck out the poision...

"Rattle snake." Ben muttered, concealing his fear with concern as he reached out to stroke her hair.

She moaned quietly as she laid still, Adam wiping her brow, hoping she'd survive.


	15. The Parting of Ways

"The pond... There's a rattler den..." she moaned, tried to roll overin the dirt. On closer examination, Ben had found she'd been bitten on the calf ofher leg and her arm, but her leg had a dry bite, with no venom.

"The rancher... Try and find him..." Jesse muttered! Before she lapsed once agan into silence.

Ben looked at Adam and Joe gravely, as well as Tom. "Let's go."

* * *

"Hoss..." Hoss looked down to see her looking at him, her eyes seemed less confused...

"Yeah, Jesse?"

"Got any water?"

Hoss quickly undid his canteen and went to give her a drink. She gratefully took it, before shakily sitting up.

"Where's Sagebrush?" She asked, dreading the answer she might receive.

"She's still sleepin'..."

Jesse staggered to her feet, legs shaking like a Colt as he took his first steps...

"Jesse!"

"I gotta see her, Hoss..." She said hoarsely, staggering over to her friend. The indians allowed her into the waiting circle, and one of the men spoke quietly to her, rubbing a white paste on her own bite wound.

She looked grateful as she cool paste calmed the burning skin, and she looked down at Sagebrush quietly.

"Wake up..." She whispered, touching her cheek. Sagebrush mumbled something and her eyes fluttered open.

"Jesse..." She whispered, reach up to seize her friend's hand.

"You will live. No rattle snake can kill you. You're too strong."

Sagebrush shrugged and allowed a wane smile to cross her lips.

"I wouldn't leave you, my sister." She replied, sweat still beading on her forehead from fever as she spoke.

"And neither will I, for you."

"Water..." Sagebrush pleaded.

She turned and took the canteen Hoss offered, holding it to her friend's lips as she struggled to hold it with shaking hands.

"Don't leave me." Sagebrush pleaded. They fell asleep holding one another.

* * *

"Watch for snakes. We're getting close to the pond." Ben cautioned.

They all nodded. Three indian braves had come with them as well to help in the hunt. They entered a clearing to find the bedraggled looking rancher.

As soon as he saw them, he turned to run, right towards the pond.

"Don't! It's a rattlesnake den!" Ben warned him, but he paid no heed to the warning, racing over. A snake caught his wrist, sinking in his teeth, and he yelled, falling upon another snake...

Joe, whether brave or foolhardy, probably both, Adam reasoned, raced after the man, agilely pulling him free from the approaching snakes and throwing him onto Cochese. They raced on into the valley, to safety, to try and suck out the venom, only to find he was too far gone.

"Why did you want those girls?" Adam demanded.

The rancher shook his head. "Why should I tell you?" He croaked. Even he knew he was dying...

"Because there's still time to make you suffer..." Adam said, eyes so cold the man knew Adam would carry out his threat.

"My boss wanted a pretty indian gal and a nice white one, too, wanted a few gal friends..." He took a shaking breath.

"What was his name?" Ben asked. Joe was pale as he prayed the name wouldn't be spoken...

"Simon..." The man whispered, as his eyes glassed over and the breath escape his body, his chest falling for the final time.

Adam closed the man's eyes and slung the body over Sport's back. One more dead. Jesse hadn't seemed to be on death's door when they left, but she could've taken a turn for the worse...

"Joe, are you hurt, son?" Ben asked, noticing his son's paleness.

"No Pa... Simon. That was the name of the man who stole Jesse's ranch. Has Tom come back from the spring yet? We'll talk to him when we see him."

As if he'd heard, Tom rode into the clearing with the recently filled canteens.

They had a long talk on the ride back to camp.

* * *

On the third day, it was deemed they were well enough to travel, it was decided they'd leave the next day in the morning.

Both Jesse and Sagebrush rose early, walking to the peak that overlooked a large valley and staring as the sun burnt away the darkness, hand in hand.

They watched the sun slowly burn he dark sky to gray and then to a creamy color...

"I don't want to leave." Sagebrush said quietly. They'd each been stealing glances at one another, hoping they wouldn't forget one another, as this was their last time together.

"We have to go back. We'll meet again." Jesse tried to assure her.

Sagebrush pulled out a home-made canteen filled with wine.

"To my sister." She said, taking a swallow and handing it to Jesse.

"To my sister." She replied, taking a swallow as well. It was sour but flavorful, and she knew she'd never forget the taste. She'd never forget Sagebrush, either.

She rode behind Adam on sport, since faithful Notty was dead from he snakes. She'd struggled to remeber frm the night... No,ithadn't beenthe gelding bitten by the snake, but Notty. She hated to admit she didn't know, but everything was so blurred after the fever,the details hard to recall. She oulled herself back to the moment.

They'd part with the Washoe once they reached the house. Finally, they did, and the moment they'd been dreading came.

She grabbed Sagebrush's hand and pulled her into the barn, sitting on a hay bale, trying not to cry.

A tear ran down Sagebrush's face, suddenly, and she slipped off her moccasins, pressing them into her hands.

"From my tribe to yours." She whispered.

Jesse felt the soft hide in he hands for a moment, feeling her own tears run down her face, now. She hurriedly untied her boots and slid them on Sagebrush's feet, typing them tight.

"From my tribe to yours..." She repeated, clasping her hand in Sagebrush's.

"Come back sometime to visit..."

They each brushed away there tears, not wanting the men they lived among to see their weakness as she parted in the sunlight.


	16. Try to stay little

She fell asleep almost as soon as she laid on her bed to think- despite the days of feverish sleep se'd had up by the pass, it seemed to have been meagre, even though the fever had abated, and she still felt weak.

Adam entered a few minutes later with some broth for her, finding her asleep and smiling slightly. She looked so cute while she slept, unlike the tough character she was when she awoke.

He moved over to her, quietly pulling the blankets over her and feeling for a fever. She was cool, to his relief, though she did look incredibly pale...

"Adam...?" she mumbled, but he knew she was just sleep talking. She'd do that sometimes, they'd have entire conversations she never remembered because of it.

"Yes?" he asked, perching beside her and smoothing back her hair.

" 'Mmm tired..." she murmured.

"Well you were pretty sick. Just rest, you'll feel better when you wake up..." he stayed beside her like that, stroking her hair long after she'd fallen asleep. He wished she could be like this forever sometimes- her wished she'd never grow up.

But even this time had to end, and he finally stood to go, feeling a bit more edgy. Jesse was unaware Simon was still trying to get a few girl for his... Purposes, and if she learned of it, he was certain she'd go out to try and stop him, which she couldn't do.

She wasn't strong enough, Simon had too many people. She'd give her best, she always did, but he knew her best wouldn't be good enough this time...

"Don't grow up too fast, Jesse." he whispered, turning back to her and planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Try to stay little, for me."

She didn't answer- she was far int sleep, now, and he let another smile cross his feathers before tip-toeing from the room and shutting the door behind him.


	17. Dance

Tom rode up to the place he'd lived and loved, watching it now, disgusted. All the loyal hands he'd known so well had been fired, had been forced to work in the mines, since Simon had scared all the ranchers into not hiring them.

He caught hard looks from all the men but ignored them, tethering Skyrun up in front to the house he'd been raised in and opening the door, stepping inside.

He slipped to where his Pa's desk was, and saw Simon with his feet up on it.

"you leave my sister out of this. You take my ranch, my home, force me to run away, but you will _not _hurt her. Is that understood?"

Simon sneered.

"You think you can still boss me around, think your pa still writes the paychecks…." He stood.

"I think nothing of you. You're a liar, a filthy liar…."

Simon punched him and he hit the wall.

"Ain't no little boy goin' to boss me around!" he said, spitting tobacco juice onto the floor….

"I'm sixteen…." Tom said quietly, spitting blood onto the floor to match. His Pa would understand his making a mess, if he were here….

He'd turned sixteen last month. They hadn't told the Cartwrights, of course, they'd already done enough in taking them in. it wasn't right to ask for more about the party. He remembered Jesse had woken him up with a pipe and a pouch of tobacco she'd bought for him. Pa had always said he'd be able to smoke when he was sixteen….

It had been the best birthday present he'd ever had, not because of the cost or the time, but because it was his Pa's pipe, Jesse had grabbed it before Simon had taken over, had managed to slip it into her pocket before they'd run….

He was brought back to reality when Simon hit him with another punch.

He swung back, hard, striking Simon's cheek so hard tobacco juice spewed from him mouth, and his chew landed on the floor….

He moved in and punched his ribs, remembering his father instructing him how to fight….

_"Don't let'em breathe, Tom. If they can breathe, they can fight…."_

He punched again, and Simon yelled this time, hitting back, but he was already fighting….

Three men rushed in and dragged him away.

"I'll kill ya next time, boy!" Simon yelled around a mouthful of blood.

"Not if I kill you first, you worthless piece of…."

He was thrown out before he could finish, the men were kicking him and throwing him around….

* * *

He rode up on Skyrun and almost fainted, staggering into the barn.

He gingerly peeled off his shirt and washed the blood from his face in the water trough, cleaning himself up before Ben found out, or even worse, Jesse…. If Jesse got involved, she'd want revenge, and his little sister wasn't strong enough or big enough to win a war against Simon.

At least he was clean now, he reasoned, and he'd be able to hide it from everyone for now….

Jesse turned and ran away silently, horrified at the bruises and scuffs on her brother's chest….

He'd been so muscular, he was always her strong brother, but he was so hurt….

She raced into the timber fields, waiting for her heart to stop racing and the rage to cool….

_"A man who draws when the other's reaching for his gun is alive and on the right side of the law- it's the fool who reaches for his gun when no one's drawn yet."_

Her Pa's words came back to her, now, and she took a shaking breath. She wasn't going to draw first. She could be sneaky, covert; she was just always such a forthright person. She had no doubt Simon had done that to her brother, though, and Simon knew her, had watched her for two years. It was time to change tactics.

* * *

"There you go. Just ease into it, let the man lead. You sure can do a good Virginia Reel, Jesse."

"Thanks." She nodded and smiled.

"Any boy ask you to the dance yet?" Joe asked. She knew the moves well enough she could talk and dance, now.

"Nope."

"Well, from what I hear they're all dying to. They're just afraid you'll say no."

"Well, I don't want to dance with any one boy all night. I'd rather go and see who catches my eye."

Joe chuckled. "It's girls like you that always get away from me."

She nodded and smiled, until the lantern had burned down and Joe called an end to the night.

* * *

"Jesse, come on! We're a goin' ta be late!" Hoss called upstairs.

"One minute, Hoss, I'm coming!" she called down.

She looked in the mirror. She certainly looked nice, she supposed- it'd been so long since she dressed like a girl, it was hard to tell….

She was lucky her Ma had been short, since the old dress she'd smuggled along fit just right, and the long sleeves were perfect….

Her hair fell in curls she'd done for the past hour, and the laced cuffs and collar, as well as trim on the dress looked nice, as well.

She'd already torn out some of the stitching in the petticoat to make it less restricting. She'd been able to sew well, before Simon had come and ruined her life….

Her blue eyes started to smolder with rage, and she quickly put in some green earrings to set everything off before lifting her skirt to slip downstairs….

She was incredibly busy making sure she didn't trip on her skirt and fall downstairs, and she didn't notice all her brothers ad Pa starign at her until she was safely down.

"What? Do I got somethin' on my face?" she asked, looking confused.

"I… uhm…." Adam cleared his throat, remembering she a girl, suddenly.

"You just look… different…."

"Yeah, I can tell. Stupid corset…." She blushed and was relieved no one had heard her mumbling. Sometimes it was hard, having all boys in the house, since she'd had a torturous time lacing the corset by herself, but there was no _way _she was asking any of her brothers, let alone Ben, for help lacing it.

Ben stared at her for a moment, shocked. He remembered she was his little girl, now… no, young lady…. He'd known she was a girl before of course, but never really thought about it until he saw her in the dress….

All the boys were finding it hard not to stare, actually, she had amazing curves, as well as the hair and the eyes…. She gave them a little smile.

"So, it looks nice, them?"

"Yeah. We should get going." Adam said turning on heel to go. He took a slow breath. She looked attractive. _Very _attractive, actually, but she was still his sister, and such a little girl he'd never fall in love with her, not any more than the brotherly way he already had. He'd keep a close eye on her tonight, everyone would want to have a dance….

"Ms. Peterson, may I have this dance?"

She looked at Daniel, slightly surprised a seventeen year-old would want to dance with her, but allowed him to lead her onto the floor. He was a friend of tom's, after all, or had seemed to be, until he'd gone on and Simon had hired him after they'd left….

She couldn't believe Daniel would turn on them, though.

Simon leaned close to her as they dance.

"Stay away from Radclif. He's going to try and spike your punch and kidnap you. Simon's getting impatient."

She stared at him, slightly shocked, and he offered a wane smile.

"I've been staying with hi m to try and figure out how to stop him. You're in danger. Stay with your brothers for me, alright?"

She nodded dumbly again as the song ended and they carefully walked off the floor….

Adam nodded to her "Care to dance, Jesse?"

She nodded and looked over her shoulder. "Thank you for the dance, Mr. Rucker." She said to Daniel.

Daniel smiled that smile he always saved for her. "it was my pleasure, Ms. Peterson."

Adam observed how somber she looked, and realized something had passed between her and Daniel. Whether Daniel had threatened her or done something to make her uncomfortable, he didn't know, but he wanted to know.

"What did Daniel threaten you with?" Adam whispered to her as they danced.

She looked surprised. "nothing, Adam."

"Quit lying to be, Jesse."

"He threatened me with nothing!" she hissed, and as soon as the song ended she turned on heel and left the dance hall, lifting her skirt and running towards the storefront of the feed store, which was, of course, closed.

She needed to be alone, to be far away from everyone….

In truth, she was upset with Adam for meddling. Didn't he think she could handle herself? Daniel was always such a nice boy, he'd gotten her knfie3 back for her when a ranch hand had stolen it, always found time for a smile or a quick word with her when he was over playing with Tom….

How dare he accuse him for threatening her?

And this business with Simon…. It was so infuriating. Of course Simon was getting nervous. It was early July, her pa would be due back by early august, and if Simon didn't destroy the deed by then….

Suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and she was jerked into someone's rough embrace, arms held tight to her sides. She heard the raspy breath and smelled the tobacco on his breath and felt shivers run up her spine.

Radclif had her.


	18. The Misunderstanding

"Now gal, just relax. I ain't goin' ta hurt ya none..." her arm was pinned down, but she managed to stomp on the man's foot and elbow him, reaching into the sheath she'd had concealed under the sleeves of her dress and pull out the knife she'd had ready for tonight...

She knew where the deed was, of course, if Simon could destroy it it'd all be over, and she wasn't going to let that happen, even if she had to kill Radclif tonight.

The sleeve of her dress had been slit by her quick draw of the knife, and it fluttered in the slight breeze. "One more step and I kill you."

But she saw Radclif throw his head back and laugh. "You're a big talker, girl, but out here there's no one to listen. No one to hear you scream. Where's big brother Adam?" he teased.

She felt her cheeks flush red.

"I don't need someone else to fight my battles." but she was unsure she could take Radclif by herself. He was burly and strong, stronger than she could fight, though she'd try, though it all seemed hopeless...

Radclif's first struck her face and she slammed against the wall, a strangled cry of pain escaping her as blood started to pour from her lips... She was clever, but she knew she was no match when thrown in against a man's brute strength.

Radclif socked her arm so hard and grabbed her wrist, forcing her hand open. The knife fell to he ground, and his grip was so hard it hurt...

Radclif pinned her against the storefront, punching her again...

Suddenly he threw her on the ground, before slumping over into a heap...

She looked to see who'd saved her and saw Daniel standing behind Radclif.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded shakily and swallowed. "Yeah. Thanks..."

"Stay with your family and you'll be safe."

She nodded. "right. Don't tell Pa, he'll have Radclif in jail or worse and that'll just stir up Simon more... Did Radclif see you knock him out? Are you sure it's safe to return to the ranch with him?"

Daniel nodded, dabbing at the blood on her face.

"Sorry if I'm hurting you... Look, if anyone finds out about Simon, he'll be sure to just kill anyone who does know and keep your ranch. All he has to do is destroy the deed and kill all the witnesses. Including you."

She nodded, knowing it was true and straightening her dress.

"Try and tell Tom. I can't, Radclif will think it odd if I talk to you both. Stay with your brothers, alright?"

She nodded, and turned to go, knowing Daniel would want to lie to Radclif about who'd knocked him out when he awoke._  
Adam watched her the next morning. He knew something was wrong with her. He'd known since she'd come home from the dance. It had something to with Daniel, he was sure, and didn't like it, whatever it was. But she wasn't talking.

"So, what happened at the dance with Daniel?" Adam asked at dinner the next night, causing everyone to look at her.

She blushed. "Nothing."

"Your sleeve was ripped. Why? What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, Adam! He did nothing!" she stood quickly, angry, now.

"Quit lying to me, Jesse!" Adam grabbed her arm and was shocked when she cried out in pain and pulled away. He seized her wrist and rolled up her sleeve to reveal a dozen purple bruises...

He stared. "He did nothing, eh?"

"Adam, no... You don't understand!" her eyes filled with tears.

"I understand perfectly, Jesse! I'm just going to pay our friend a visit."

"You need to listen to me!" she grabbed his arm but he pushed her away harder than intended, his anger fueling his strength, and she stumbled and hit her head on the bookshelf before collapsing into a heap.

Joe raced over to her and sat her up. He nose was bleeding from the fall, her lip was busted and bleeding as well...

"You're just as bad as Daniel." he muttered, shaking his head at his brother in disgust.

"It was an accident..." Adam muttered in shock, staring down at them both as Joe cradled her head in his lap.

"Yeah, well tell that to Jesse!" Joe said angrily.

"Adam, I want you to go up to your room to cool off." Ben said sternly, a look of disappointment strong on his face.

"No. I have to pay a visit to Daniel." Adam said, before turning on heel and striding out to mount Sport. He had a score to settle.


	19. Secrets Revealed

Slowly, she came to in her bed. She waited for her vision to quit blurring and saw a concerned looking Joe and Ben standing beside the bed with Tom.

Tom looked at her.

"How do you feel?" Ben asked, and Tom stepped forward.

"What are you hiding?" He demanded.

Jesse sighed. Her head was throbbing, but Tom needed to know. She should've told him last night.

She spoke hurriedly in Indian, and Tom understood perfectly and nodded, turning and slipping out to ride after Adam.

Ben's brow furrowed. "Tom speaks indian, as well?"

"He speaks shoshone, but not Washoe." Jesse said quietly, closing her eyes against the bright sunlight that streamed into the room.

"How did he learn Shoshone?" Joe asked, confused.

"Their father was half shoshone, Joe." Ben said simply.

Joe shook his head in disbelief. "She doesn't look indian, Pa..."

But he noticed the golden tan skin she had, as well as the dark streaks in her hair, now...

"So you're a quarter shoshone?" Joe asked.

She was gritting her teeth against the pain as she nodded.

"Joe, stop talking." Ben chided gently, seeing the pain his youngest was in.

"Where's Hoss with the doctor?"

Just then Doc Martin entered and nodded to Ben.

He turned to Jesse. "Can you open your eyes?"

She forced them open and let Doc Martin shine a light into her eyes, before finally leaning back against the pillows.

"She's going to have a pretty nasty bump and a headache..."

"Jesse, what did you say to Tom?" Joe asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

She shook her head, and Ben gave Joe a look to silence him as he perched on the bed beside her. Jesse crawled into his lap, exhausted, before she finally drifted off.

Tom thundered down the trail after Adam, hoping he'd be able to get to Adam before he got to the Dessert Rose to fight Daniel.

Jesse had told him Daniel was only posing as one of Simon's men and how he'd saved her life. Of course, he'd suspected as much, since he and Daniel had been as thick as thieves and were still friends.

Of course, if the Cartwrights knew Simon was trying to hurt them and get the deed Ben would fight back, an Simon would kill anyone who tried to help them.

So she'd spoken Shoshone to him. Still, he had to stop Adam before he killed Daniel and had all of Simon's people after him.

"Adam!" Adam heard Tom'a call and slowed. It would be good to have someone else to help him teach Daniel a lesson. No boy beat up his sister like that and got away with it...

Tom pulled up his horse beside Adam. "It wasn't Daniel... Daniel was the one who saved her skin."

Adam let Sport stand idle. "If you expect me to believe you, you should tell me the entire story."

Tom sighed. "You'll be in danger if you do anything to prevent Simon from getting the deed from Jesse and I. Simon wants the ranch, and he's getting restless, since our Pa is due back from the drive in early August. He sent someone to the dance to kidnap Jesse but Daniel warned her and saved her hide when on of the men tried to kidnap her. Daniel is posing as one of Simon's goons, but he's on our side. If you ride onto that ranch looking for trouble, they'll kill you. You've already taken in Jesse and I, they aren't exactly fans of you."

Adam sighed and turned Sport on the trail back to the Ponderosa. He felt like a complete jerk suddenly, for being so short with Jesse and pushing her away...

He spurred Sport faster, remembering her lying so still and limp like a rag doll on the floor.

He jumped off Sport and raced upstairs to find her in Ben's lap.

"Jesse!" She opened her eyes. She looked tired and in pain- he mentally scolded himself again as he sat down beside Ben.

"Jesse, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you..."

Her eyes started to close again and he felt a pang in his heart at the sight of this.

"Adam, let her rest. Paul gave her some sleeping powder to help with the pain..."

"Pa, I need to apologize..." Adam pleaded. He saw the disappointment and disapproval of his actions in his father's eyes, and that hurt as well...

"Adam..." She muttered sleepily, and Adam sat down beside Ben. She crawled into his lap, this time...

"Read to me..." She muttered sleepily, and Adam smiled appreciatively.

"A poem, maybe? About adventure?"

She nodded as eagerly as she could in her sleepy state, and Adam chuckled and began reciting little Joe's favorite adventure poem from memory, smiling and continuing even after she was fast asleep...


	20. Half-Breed

"Half-breed." Burt Anderson shoved Tom against the wall and slapped him.

"And your mule sister, too!"

Tom swung back and pushed Burt away, slamming the man's head down on the bar.

"Don't you call my sister that! She's a finer gal you'll ever get!"

Burt sunk his fist into Tom's stomach, knocking the wind from him, and threw him back.

"You listen here, half-breed. We hate injuns. We especially hate injuns who walk around pretendin' to be white moren' anything. You keep a close eye on that sister o' yours- her days are numbered.

"Lisa, please come and talk to Hoss. See, he's mighty sweet on you, but he's too shy to talk to you. Could you... drop by, maybe, I feel so bad for the feller. He works so hard an' it seems to no one notices him."

Lisa blushed. "Really? I always was sweet on Hoss, I always wanted such a kind feller as him, but I was so afraid ta ask... But now that you mention, yes, I'd be glad to stop by..."

"Of course. And I'll drop some hints to old Hoss that he should start cortin' ya."

"Thank you, Jesse. For such a young girl, you do know how to play match maker."

"Thanks, Lisa, I try..."

Suddenly three men came to the door.

"Pa!" Lisa was the shop keeper's daughter, and he grabbed Jesse by the collar and pulled her behind the counter and shoved her down.

Lisa crawled down beside her and put her hand over her mouth.

"Jesse, Jesse please, be quiet." Lisa pleaded. Jesse knew Lisa to be an upright and kind lady, so she did as she was told.

"David, wes heard Jesse Cartwright was in town." one of the men said. "Ya seen her?"

"No, Gabe, I ain't. And her name's Peterson, Jesse Peterson. The Cartwrights just took her in."

She heard what sounded like a sneer.

"That was Ben's biggest mistake. You find her, give her the message."

She didn't stand until David pulled her to her feet.

"It's safe now, Ms. Peterson. I'm right sorry I had to haul you behind the counter like that, but them men ain't no good..."

"I appreciate you hiding me, Mr. Fredrick, but could you please tell me why those men hate me?"

David stared. "You mean you haven't heard?"

"No sir, could you enlighten me?"

Just then Adam rushed in, looking worried. He looked relieved when he saw her.

"Jesse, come on. We're going home."

"Hang on a minute, Adam..."

"Jesse, now." Adam said sternly, with a fierce expression she'd never seen before as he seized her by the arm.

"Adam, you wait just a minute." David said, equally stern. "Adam, they're back. They're after Jesse and Tom, them men. They got over the chinese coming here, but they need someone to hate, and they've chosen your sister and brother..."

"I know, David, I just found out... Did they come in here?"

David nodded, and Adam paled. "Thank you, for protecting her, David. Jesse, come on, we're going back to the Ponderosa. I'll explain on the way."

"The KKK, isn't it?" Jesse asked quietly, looking pensive as they rode back towards the Ponderosa.

Adam looked at her. "What? You know of them?"

She nodded. "My Pa told me to run if I ever saw men in sheets or burning crosses. Told me to run and hide. That's all I know."

Adam sighed, wondering how to tell her this. "Jesse, you're a quarter Shoshone. You don't look it, but you are, and you have indian blood..."

"Are you one of them, Adam? One of the sheet men?"

Adam saw the pure terror on her face and grabbed her arm. "Jesse, no, Jesse, I'd call you my sister if you were a full-blooded Shoshone. But those men, they don't listen to reason. They just hate for no reason. I want you to be careful now, we'll talk with Pa when we get home."

The dinner table was surprisingly grave as they talked that night. Adam hadn't touched his food, and he cleared his throat, causing a pensive looking Ben to look up.

"Pa, in town I heard Sam Harley and his buddies are all fired up..."

"I heard, Adam." Ben said absently, as though in a far off place.

Joe had been on the ranch all day and he stared, brown eyes as curious as ever.

"About what?"

Adam tugged his collar and cleared his throat, but Tom spoke for him.

"About Jesse and I being a quarter indian. They gave me the message, as well. Jesse, you're not to leave the Ponderosa again unless you're with at least two of us, and even then, you're to stay with at least two people."

Jesse stared. "What? Tom, you know as well as I do that's crazy..."

"I won't hesitate to take a switch to you, Jesse." Tom said, eyes hard.

"Quit trying to be Pa! You ain't, and you never will be!" Jesse replied hotly, standing and racing upstairs, slamming the door to her room.

They all stared after her.

"Why you gotta act like such a girl!?" Tom yelled upstairs, still angry.

"Cause you treat me like one!" Jesse yelled back, slamming the door.

Slowly, Tom sat down, cheeks a shade of flaming red. "So reckless..." he muttered, taking a bite of his dinner and swallowing without tasting.

The rest of the Cartwrights just watched, slightly shocked. They'd never seen the two siblings fight before, and t was interesting the way they did.

Ben cleared his throat. "I'll speak to Jesse about this after supper, Tom. You were only trying to protect her."

"Thank you, Pa." Tom said, not looking up.

Jesse scrawled down a note and climbed out onto he windowsill. Loaded pistol on her hip, the three dollars she'd saved up in her pocket, leather vest on, and knife sheath hidden under her sleeve, kong chestnut hair tied back into a braid, she was ready to go. Watch them try and keep her here now.

She latched onto the tree branch that was five feet from the window and slipped down, quietly mounting her horse and slipping off into the night.

* * *

**Okay, I tried to portray Jesse as reckless and a bit foolhardy when she's out to prove a point. Really she's just a bit bitter Tom is trying to act like her Pa, when she's got Ben and the rest of the Cartwrights. Three more reviews and I post again!**


	21. Switch Me

Ben finally went upstairs to talk to her after the table was cleared for dinner he'd brought a plate with him, since she'd hardly eaten a thing before running upstairs. He'd given her so much time since he knew she needed to cool down, blow off a little steam. He'd never had a daughter before, so he was airing on the side of caution. He didn't know if she'd be angry and throwing things or crying her eyes out.

He slipped inside, worried by the silence.

"Jesse?"

The wind blew in a sudden gust, ruffling the curtains and he saw the open window and raced forward. He also saw, pinned to the curtains, a note in her messy writing.

Pa, I needed to go blow off some steam. Don't worry about me, I can handle myself. Love, Jesse

"Boys!" he bellowed, racing downstairs. "Saddle up. We're going to town."

Hoss immediately recognized the fear in his father's tone. "What is it, Pa?"

"Jesse's run off. She went to town." Ben was already pulling on his coat and soon they were all mounted up, racing into the night, praying they'd get there in time.

She looked around the Saloon, easily sipping her sarsaparilla and marveling at how stupid Tom had been to worry about her so much. Sam was in the bar, and he watched her from under his greasy hair. Still, he was probably too much of a coward to confront her now.

The men cast her hateful looks, but she ignored them and took another sip of her soda.

Ben would probably be riding after her by now, she figured, but it was already near two in the morning. She'd been watching a good poker game play out. Besides, she was at the worst saloon in town, she knew some of the ladies would let her hide in their rooms if need be.

She finished her sarsaparilla and plunked down her payment, nodding to the bar keep before slipping out and mounting.

Sam and his boys came out as well, and Sam smiled at her as she untied the horse.

"If it ain't the half breed." he said, smiling menacingly.

She didn't look up. "You seemed to enjoy me coming around with my Pa, before you figured out I was indian."

"Yeah, well I don't like no savage telling me what I like and don't like." he said, taking a step closer to her and smiling smugly.

"What are you goin' ta do if I hit you? Go running to your Pa?"

"I can fight my own battles, Sam." she replied, meeting his steely gaze. She could easily swing up and mount now, ride away, but what wold that prove? Se wasn't a coward, nor was she afraid of fighting Sam. Better t fight and loose than to be considered a coward...

Sam seized her wist and tried to drag her to him, but she kicked him in the chest. Her flexibility and strength caught him by surprise, and he staggered back.

His companion, Gabe, slammed her into the wall so hard her teeth rattled, pinning her arm behind he back...

She swung with her left hand and caught his cheek bone, and he flinched, giving her time to pull free of his grasp. A few blows scored her from the remaining men, but she was more agile and ran through them, swinging up onto her horse and looking down at the men she'd held her own against.

"This ain't over, Peterson." Sam growled. She smiled at the sight of blood dripping from his nose.

"Cartwright, Sam. My name is Cartwright." she kicked her horse into a gallop and rode away.

"Pa, she isn't here. Maybe she's back at the Ponderosa already." Adam suggested. "Or maybe she decided to camp out in the woods. She's probably home by now."

It was three in the morning, that would make sense, but Ben was hesitant. "Adam, I'm not sure. What if she's in trouble? You know as well as I do she seems to be a magnet for sticky situations."

"Yes, but she's always managed to get out of them, Pa. She's probably home right now. Come on, let's at least go check."

Ben reluctantly started home with his sons and mounted the stairs quickly.

She'd been tired from the fighting and staying out so late, and she'd been asleep by the time Ben came home. Adam was upstairs behind his Pa, and had to chuckle at what he saw. She was curled up under the blankets, fast asleep.

"Would ya look at that?" Hoss said, smiling as he took off his hat. No one was used to seeing tough little Jesse so peaceful looking.

"She probably didn't go to town at all. She probably just went hiking." Joe said, smiling as well.

Ben shook his head. "We'll find out later. Now go to bed, all of you. I's been a long night."

They all obeyed, leaving Ben to give his youngest one last look before quietly closing the door.

She slipped on her jeans and shirt, pulling on her boots like always before slipping down for breakfast. She was a little tired from last night, but she was fine. She'd already noticed the bruises on her arms and legs, but they were all covered by her clothes. All except one nasty bruise on her face, but it didn't hurt that badly.

She wondered briefly what would happen when her family saw the bruise- she'd been sure to sleep so that cheek was hidden, even if it did feel tender, to put off whatever was going to happen, be it good or bad.

She wasn't left to wonder for long, though. Adam visibly flinched when he saw the wound, Hoss dropped his fork onto Hoss dropped his fork onto his plate as he gaped, Ben and Tom just stared, and Little Joe gave her a look of pride.

"Nice one, Jesse. You got into your first fight. Who was it?" Joe asked.

She offered him a nervous smile- Ben and the others hadn't yet recovered from their shock.

"Sam." she said simply, sitting down at her place beside Joe, who ruffled her hair.

"Jessica Cartwright! What on earth were you doing last night!?"

She found herself being stared down by Ben. It was even more scary than she thought it'd be, but she forced herself to meet his gaze, not with defiance, but with confidence.

"I was drinking a sarsaparilla and watching the boys play poker."

"And?" Ben pressed, dark eyebrows arching to make his smoldering brown eyes look even angrier.

"And Sam and his buddies came out while I was untying my horse looking for trouble. So I gave it to him."

"Sam and his gang beat you up?" Hoss asked.

"No, more like we exchanged some blows and I left."

"I told you this would happen, Jesse!" Tom shouted, face angry red. "I told you it was too dangerous! And what do you do? You go running off just to prove me right..."

Tom turned and grabbed the switch from the mantle, going to take her hand...

Jesse drew her knife and Tom stared.

"You wouldn't." Tom said.

"Shut your mouth and get this through your skull." Jesse replied. "You said it'd be too dangerous to go by myself. I got into a scrape, I got out of it. If it were too dangerous I'd be dead by now."

"That's not true, Jesse! You got lucky!"

"Maybe I did, but I was born lucky! I can fight my own battles, I don't need you looking out for me all the time! And third..." She snatched the switch from his hand.

"You aren't Pa, and you never darn will be. You're my brother. And you're hardly older than me. Remember Mr. Cartwright, the man whose ranch we're staying on? The one who we call Pa? He took responsibility for us, and if I need switching, I'd gladly let Pa, Adam, Hoss, or Joe do it. But not you, because you've forgotten you're the younger brother now, not Pa. Got it?"

She turned and handed the switch to Ben. "You can switch me now, Pa."

There was a stunned silence at her telling off Tom, but Ben stood and led her out to the barn. It pained him to strike her, but she bowed her head and grit her teeth and took it, before slowly standing and nodding to Ben, eyes dry, and staggering over to do her chores.

Ben closed his eyes and wondered what had just happened.

Tom avoided her for the rest of the day, but Adam found him sitting up in the Hayloft, staring at the sky and thinking.

"Hey."

Tom started at the greeting, but quick realized it was only Adam.

"Hey, Adam. You're an older brother. What did I do wrong?"

"Well..." Adam sat down beside Tom, looking out at the pasture.

"You've been acting like her Pa, like she said. She's tired of it. I mean, she's got Pa, Hoss, Joe and I. Ir seems like you've been stalking her like a Mountain Lion, Give her a little more slack in the reins, if you know what I mean."

Tom nodded and sighed, letting a reminiscent smile cross his face. "Yeah, I guess. I's funny, ever since we had to leave our ranch, I felt like she was my soldier, not my sister."

"How so?" Adam asked, curious.

"Well, I got sick right after we left, we were pinned down in a cave for six days with Simon's men after us. She was the only reason we survived. She hunted, fished, took care of the horses, everything. I don't know when the kid slept. She had to spoon feed me and be nearby all the time, and she still managed. Then, when the fever broke and I got a good look at her, I saw how hard she'd been working. The poor kid looked ready to collapse. She'd hardly eaten, she was so pale... And I swore to myself that day I'd look out for her so she'd never have to suffer like that again."

Adam nodded. "Yep, that sure sounds like Jesse. Always soldiers no. But Tom, here she's safe. She's never going to go hungry or not sleep like that again. Don't you think you should watch out for her a little less? I mean, you've gots now. You've got a family."

"I know..."

"You've got to let it lie, Tom." Adam said, throwing as arm across Tom's shoulders. "She's out in the pasture wit Hoss and Joe, see?" he pointed to three specks in the distance. "She's safe. Joe and Hoss have instructions from Pa to keep an especially good eye on her. I love her just as much as you do."

Tom smiled and shook his head. "You're right on everything but that, Adam. You could never love her as much as I do."


	22. The Sheet Men

"Race ya!" Jesse yelled, kicking her horse into a gallop.

"No fair!" Joe yelled, grinning and racing Cochese after her.

"Wait up! Dannburnit you two!" Hoss yelled, racing Chubbs after them.

No sooner had Jesse rounded the corner than she was plucked from her horse like a rag doll. All she could do was scream.

"Joe! Help!" Joe drew his gun as he rounded the corner, ready to fight tooth and nail when he saw whoever was scaring Jesse.

They were dressed in sheets, with holes cut for there eyes and mouthes, and they each sat astride horses draped in sheets as well. The leader held Jesse in his arms.

"It's the sheet men! Joe, help!" she screamed, terror stealing away all her good sense as she thrashed, tears streaming down her face.

"You put her down now!" Joe ordered. His hand was shaking, seeing her so scared, and Hoss rode up behind him.

"That goes for the both of us!"

The man lifted a hand from beneath the sheet and clapped it over Jesse's mouth as she sat, trembling in his grasp. Her courage her evaporated when she'd seen the dreaded sheet men her father had warned her about.

Joe saw her speak with her eyes, though. The terror, raw terror, begging him to help her...

"She's not one of us." the man who held her said in an eerily calm voice. "And she should be destroyed."

The men on horse back all drew rifles.

"No... Jesse..." Joe pleaded, gun still raised. He'd fire if he had to, take all those bullets for her...

Jesse slowly slid her hand down until she was gripping the man's pistol, which he hadn't yet touched.

She arched her back, giving herself room, and drew, placing it as near to his chest as she could and firing.

The man let out a strangled cry and all the horses started. The man's suddenly limp arms gave her no support, and as his horse reared he fell on top of her on the ground...

She screamed again, so scared and terrified she had no idea what to do, and kicked and squirmed, trying to get free of him...

Warm liquid poured onto her and she smelled it was blood, finally pulling free and staggering backwards, falling and still managing to scramble back, still screaming.

Adam and Tom burst into the clearing, then, and Jesse doubled over and was sick over and over, sobbing and staring, covered in the blood of the man she'd just killed...

Adam jumped down from his horse and ran to Jesse. A million thoughts raced through his mind. She was covered in blood, so much blood...

She looked at him with wide eyes and was sick again, throwing up on the dirt and retching again and again until she was an exhausted, trembling form in his arms.

"Shhh... Sh... It's going to be okay, little jack rabbit." Adam soothed, pulling her close.

She shook her head. "I... I killed him..." She broke down in tears again.

"Hoss, go get the sheriff. Pa's with him, I think. Go get the doctor while you're at it."

He took off his coat and wrapped Jesse in it, and she wiped her mouth on her sleeve.

"He's dead..." Jesse muttered, still scared. "It was the sheet men!" and she started to scream in indian, and though Adam couldn't understand a word she was saying, he understood she was screaming from pure terror and held her tightly as he mounted Sport and rushed towards the house.

"Pa! Pa, we need you, and you too, Sheriff!" Hoss yelled. Ben had felt the cold fear take root in the pit of his stomach the moment he saw his son riding towards them.

"What is it, Hoss?"

"Get to the Ponderosa, Pa, it's Jesse, and it's real bad. Doc! Doc Martin!" Hoss rode towards the man's office yelling.

Ben didn't wait for Sheriff Roy, only swung up onto his horse and raced towards the Ponderosa.

He didn't stop, only jumped off his horse and raced inside the house.

What he saw nearly broke his heart.

Jesse was still screaming, sobbing into Adam's chest as he tried to comfort her.

"Shh...shh... Hush little Jackrabbit."

"I killed him, Adam!" she cried, and Ben saw her clothes were drenched in blood.

Joe was rushing over with a bowl of water and a towel, wiping the crusty blood from her hands and wrapping her in a blanket...

"Good god." Sheriff Coffee had come up beside Ben by now, but neither brother noticed the two men in the doorway as they tried desperately to comfort their sister.

Tom came into the room with a pair of clean clothes and gently unbuttoned the shirt she wore now, draping the fresh one over her shoulders and quickly re-buttoning it.

Sheriff Coffee's words broke Ben from his trance and he rushed forward. "What happened?" he demanded, eyebrows high over his eyes from shock.

Jesse practically threw herself at him, sobbing. "I killed him Pa, I killed him!"

Ben sat down on the couch and held Jesse as her small body was wracked by sobs, feeling helplessness take over when he saw how scared she was.

"I killed him!" She repeated.

"She's in some kind of shock, Pa." Adam said, running a hand worriedly through his hair. Joe simply stood beside them both, eyes wide with fear, and even Tom had a worried look on his face.

"Shock indeed!" Doc Martin hurriedly strode over with Hoss, pulling a small bottle from his medical bag. "Drink this, sweetheart."

But she saw the white bandages in his bag and started to scream.

"The sheet men! It was the sheet men!"

Adam moved to stand in front of the bandages, quickly putting the bottle to her lips.

"Drink up, little Jackrabbit, it'll help." she did as she was told, and her eyelids slowly fell closed, tense form relaxing in Ben's lap.

Sheriff Coffee cleared his throat in the tense silence that followed. "Will she be alright, Paul?"

"Yes, with plenty of rest and broth. What in the world could've scared he rso much?"

All eyes turned to Adam, who sighed. "I wasn't there, but from what I can gather..."

"She killed a man." Joe said, stepping forward once again.

Ben's eyes widened. "She what?"  
"It was the KKK, Pa, we were racing horses and she was winning, and she went around the bend in the timber woods and started screaming. They were there, men and horses covered in sheets, and one had her, said she needed to be destroyed... She got a little sense back in her, they all had rifles drawn, and she pulled the man's own pistol and shot him. The horses reared, and the dead man fell on her... She didn't expect to kill him, she was just so scared..."

"I certainly believe it." Sheriff Coffee said. "Who was the man she killed?"

Joe shook his head. "He was still wearing his sheet."

"Where's the body, son?" Sheriff Coffee asked him.

"I... We left it in the woods."

"You mean you two didn't bring it back?" Sheriff Coffee asked, astonished.

"We attend to the living before the dead, Sheriff." Adam said coldly, stroking Jesse's blood-crusted hair.

"I... I know, I just expected you to have some sense..."

"You wouldn't have had sense either, if you'd been there. She was so scared..." Joe stopped short, and Ben saw him swallow.

"Can you boys show him where it all went down?" he asked.

Joe nodded, and Ben noted the boy was still looking pale. He'd speak to him about it later.

"I'll go, Pa." he and Hoss mounted and left, leaving Adam, Tom, Ben and Paul to watch Jesse sleep. Jesse stared a her small form carefully. His sweet Jesse, kill someone?

But he knew she was capable, and it'd been a situation in which the killing was necessary, from what Joe had told him. And she'd been so scared... Yes, his sweet Jesse could've killed someone.

"My poor Jackrabbit." Adam whispered, and Ben saw his eldest wiping tears from his eyes.

Adam had known the day would come when she'd have to kill. He'd known it, and he'd dreaded it. The day when he'd see his little sister scared forever, learning a life lesson she'd never be able to forget.

But the moment he'd heard the shot, he'd known as they raced out to the woods. And the moment he saw her being sick, he'd known she'd done it, and there was nothing he could do to take the pain away from her.

Even now, she looked so pitiful. He hadn't had to take his first life until he was fifteen, when someone had taken little Joe from him in town and threatened him. Even now, that day still made his stomach turn...

Jesse had burned the bridge back to total innocence now. She'd remember it always, he was sure. Why did she have to grow up so fast? She was just a little kid, after all. But rough times had forced her to, he supposed.

If one thing good was to come of this, he hoped it was the the KKK would finally leave them alone.


	23. Pa

Joe noticed Jesse's eyes were open and stared. She seemed sleepy, drunk, almost, but she slowly sat up...

"Pa! Adam! She's awake!"

Ben and Adam both rushed inside, and Jesse blinked, as though trying to clear her head.

"Tell me it was all a nightmare..." She pleaded, looking at Joe desperately.

Joe shook his head, wishing he could. "I'm sorry, but it was real, Jackrabbit..."

She sat back against the covers heavily, her eyes falling closed. "I didn't even know his name." she muttered quietly.

"It was Sam, Jesse." Joe said, reaching up to stroke her hair.

"You did what you had to do, Jesse. The sheriff and I agree." Ben said.

"How does it feel to have a murderer for a sister, Joe?" she asked.

"Now you listen to me, Jesse." Ben leaned in front of his youngest, cupping her chin in his hand. "You had every right to do what you did. If you hadn't killed him you very well could be dead by now. He didn't suffer, he died in seconds. Understand?"

She nodded hesitantly, but still, she was worried. "What about the other witnesses?"

"They won't be coming forward unless they want to admit to charges of trespassing and attempted kidnapping." Adam said quietly. "It looks like they'll be leaving us alone from now on."

Jesse nodded and went to stand.

"No, you're to rest, jackrabbit." Ben instructed. "Tom's helping Hop Sing bring you some broth now. I want you to rest for at least two days. That was quite a shock you had last night."

She sighed and laid back down. "Fine, Pa, but I'm not hungry."

"Eat a little, for me." Adam said, and she sighed but gave him a small nod before her eyes closed.

Slowly, Ben motioned for his sons to leave until he was left alone with her. He brought up the broth and handed it to her.

"Drink up."

She hesitantly sipped it, drinking half of the mug before setting it down.

"Full?" Ben asked.

She nodded. "What if the come after me again, Pa?" she asked, rolling over onto her stomach. "What if they take me?"

Ben pulled the blankets over her as her eyes fell closed, rubbing her back with his rough, calloused hand in soothing circles.

"I'd never let that happen, little jackrabbit."


	24. Blue Wolf

"Hello, Hoss."

"Why hello, Ms. Lisa." Hoss tipped his hat to Lisa and tried to fend off the blush creeping up his cheeks...

"How's Jesse?"

"She's fine ma'am, getting better every day."

"I'm glad to hear that. So awful, what those clansmen are trying to do to her..."

"I agree, Ms. Lisa. If you'll excuse me, I have to go make sure Joe stays out of trouble at the saloon."

"Of course. Have a good day, Hoss."

"You too, Ms. Lisa." Hoss felt something flutter within him and he felt warm all over.

* * *

Ben was in the Saloon with Joe, who was looking at the selection of ladies.

"Joe, we should be finding Hoss..."

Just then everyone went silent and Ben turned to see Jesse standing in the doorway.

"Jesse! What on earth are you doing here?"

"Pa, is Adam with you?"

"No. Jesse..."

She mumbled something in indian and whirled, braid flying behind her.

"I have to go..." she muttered, running outside and mounting her horse, sending him flying away at breakneck speed.

Little Joe and Ben hurried after her.

* * *

Adam felt disgusted as he was tied by the klansmen. How had be let his guard down so much? He'd been out rounding up strays, and he'd been knocked from his horse and hit on the head...

He was at the canyon now, by the fire rocks. They were surrounded by ashes. It was said to be from a brush fire, but really it was rumored the klansmen had done burnings here long ago...

"Why do you want to kill me?" he asked. The men weren't wearing hoods, this time.

"Your father loves his first born more than his half-breed burden, doesn't he?" Burt asked, eyes hateful. "The stupid savage killed Sam..."

"My Pa will never hand my sister over to you." Adam said calmly, and Burt struck him.

"She ain't your sister, Cartwright! She's a wild thing! She deserves to be killed like one!"

"Injuns!" The cry went up suddenly, and they were all frozen with fear when they saw the indian braves on ponies looking down at them.

"_Behne_!" Jesse waved to them. Adam saw Jesse astride a pony, riding towards the braves...

"Jesse!"

She ignored him and halted the pony before the braves, he could see words being said.

"Come on, let's go. It's not worth it to be scalped." said one man, voice trembling.

"Fine, but we leave Cartwright." Burt jumped on his horse and nearly gutted it, he spurred its flanks so hard.

A moment later the men started to trot towards Adam, Jesse with them...

"Untie him." Adam was surprised to hear one brave speak perfect english, and his men obliged, untying Adam and nodded in a friendly way, though he could see they spoke no english.

"Adam, meet my uncle, Blue Wolf." Jesse said, motioning to the brave.

"It's a pleasure." Adam rolled his shoulders, trying to get the stiffness from them. He shook hands with the man, who smiled openly.

"So you are the one who took in our lost hunter."

"Yes. I wasn't aware that she had kin."

"Last we heard she was wandering. We came as soon as we could, we had already started the crossing when news came."

"The crossing?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll explain later." Jesse said quietly, and Adam nodded.

A brave began to speak, pointing to the top of the ridge where Adam could clearly see Cochese and Ben riding towards them.

Jesse brusquely replied in Shoshoni, and the men lowered their bows.

They remained silent until Ben came down.

"Pa, meet my uncle Blue Wolf." Jesse said.

Ben smiled and shook hands with him. "Any relative of Jesse's is welcome. Tell me, where are you headed?"

"Meeting to trade with merchants." Blue Wolf replied.

Ben noticed Adam looking pale and wondered why.

"Come, your people can come to camp on our land for a bit. Please, come to dinner with us."

Blue Wolf nodded. "I mean not to stress welcome, but I wish my wife and children could come as well."

"Of course, of course!" Ben said. "Come, we have much to talk about."

Adam felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Blue Wolf was going to take Jesse and Tom with him. He didn't want that to happen.

* * *

"You look wonderful, Copper Fox." Jesse said, smiling at Blue Wolf's wife as they sat down to dinner.

Jesse's cousins looked around the house, wide eyed, and Ben smiled at their child-like wonder.

"So you know Jacob?" Ben asked.

Blue Wolf nodded. "My brother was the eldest and took over my father's ranch. He said I was free to help and stay, but I knew I should return to my mother's people."

Joe smiled quietly as the littlest child, a small indian boy of about two, fumbled with his spoon, trying to grasp it in his chubby hand.

Hoss had already gotten books for the child to sit on so his head reached above the table, and Joe gently took the spoon from the child's hand and spooned up some potatoes, placing them in the child's mouth. The boy quickly swallowed and looked at Joe expectantly, and Joe continued to spoon feed the boy, though he himself was hungry, the boy was so cute, almost like a smaller version of Tom...

Blue Wolf and Copper Fox exchanged a glance of admiration as Joe fed the little boy. Jesse and Tom had their hands full, cutting meat for their cousins who had never cut meat before, always eaten hunks of it...

The little girl sitting next to Adam reached for a roll and knocked over Adam's milk, and it spilled all over him.

The child let out a scared cry and cowered, ducking under the table to hide and cry.

"Hey... it's alright. I won't hurt you." Adam crouched beside her and grabbed a roll, holding it out to the child. She gingerly took it from the strange white man, and Adam quietly picked her up and set her in the chair again, simply mopping up the milk and offering her a smile.

She returned in as she took a bite of the roll, all fear for the strange white man forgotten.

"Your boys are very good with children, Mr. Cartwright." Copper Fox commented.

"Thank you, they're used to dealing with one another because of the age differences." Ben said, hiding his pride with humble appearances.

Blue Wolf and Ben talked on about hunting and matters, and Copper Fox listened in and commented now and then. They moved into the parlor when dinner was done, and Jess and Tom slipped out with their four cousins to play, bringing their knives to throw.

Hoss raised his eyebrows. "We should probably go watch them, just to be sure no one gets hurt."

"I agree." Joe stood and went out, and Adam got up as well.

"Adam?" Ben asked, mildly amused Adam wanted to spend time among smaller children.

Adam looked embarrassed for a moment, until he came up with a brilliant excuse to go out with them to have fun. "You know how irresponsible Joe is, Pa. I just want to make sure he doesn't give them crazy ideas."

* * *

He slipped outside to find them laughing and talking hurried Shoshoni, throwing knives at the old cedar tree trunk.

Little Joe was laughing as the small boy tugged at his brown curls with wonder. The child had never touched hair that wasn't silky black before.

The little girl Adam had given the roll to at dinner was examining Hoss's large hat, and she put it on. It covered her entire head like a lampshade. Adam couldn't help but laugh at that.

The older two children, a boy about Tom's age and a girl slightly older than Jesse threw the knives.

Other indian children came to join from the nearby camp, and joined in the playing.

Soon they were drawing in the dirt and playing indian hunting games of tag and hide-and-seek...

Adam looked up to find all the children gone and stared. "Hello?" he asked confused.

"Boo!"

Adam jumped as the little boy surprised him, and everyone burst out laughing and came out from their hiding places.

Jesse tackled Adam and rolled over in the dirt with him, making snarling noises and trying to look fierce.

"What are you doing?" Adam asked, amused.

"I'm a coyote! Where's my pack?" instantly five other children rushed over, snarling and smiling as well.

A goat got loose from the pen, and an indignant rooster strutted over to protest their loud laugher. Just as he was striding behind the goat, the animal decided to relieve himself, resulting in a rather brown and smelly rooster as it ran, squawking, back to the coop, causing more laughter.

Finally, when Blue Wolf and Copper Fox decided to head back to camp for the evening and things settled down, Pa questioned them.

"You five sure were making a lot of noise out there. What were you doing?"

Jesse just shook her head and smiled mischievously.

"Let's just say them injuns sure know how to have fun." said Hoss, grinning.

"And I wouldn't go looking for the rooster for a bit." Adam said, causing them all to laugh again, except for Ben, who simply smiled to see all his children were so merry.

But as Adam settled into bed, his stomach felt uneasy. He suddenly remembered why. Blue Wolf was probably going to take Jesse and Tom with him. He was their kin, he had every right, but Adam wasn't sure how life would be without Tom and Jesse.


	25. My Brother, My Surgeon

"You hear about the Jackson gang, Ben?" Charles asked.

Ben nodded. "Yes, known for cold blooded killing. Are they around here?"

"That's what we heard. The sheriff wants all able bodied men to come join the posse. Says we gotta protect the women of virginia city."

"A very honorable goal. Saddle the horses, will you- work can wait a day, if the Jackson gang is prowling around."

"Papa, please, I want to go." Jesse said, giving him a puppy dog look. Blue Wolf watched from where he was saddling his own horse and Ben placed his hand on her head.

"It's too dangerous, little Jackrabbit. Besides, your cousins need you here. We have to have someone taking care of the ranch. Although, when we get back, we'll be hungry for sure. Hw about you try and catch some fish for dinner?"

"You're trying to distract me, Pa." Jesse said.

Ben chuckled. "Yes I am, Jackrabbit. Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"No, but I'll go fishing, Pa. Promise you'll tell me about it when you get back?"

Ben kissed the top of her head. "I promise, Jackrabbit. Now run along. Your cousins understand more english than you think."

Jesse turned to see three of her male cousins already holding fishing poles and smiled, speaking shoshoni to them before running to get her pole as well.

"You certainly do know how to handle her, Ben." Blue Wolf said, watching the children race one another to the lake.

"Thank you. Are you sure you want to come on the posse? Some here are prejudice..."

"I will prove Shoshoni aren't savages this day, Ben. Men who ride beside one another are not savages, and my people don't scalp. Today I ride for the sake of my people, and yours."

"You're leaving behind some boys." Ben remarked.

"Only those who cannot speak english well enough to be of use. Besides, your ranch may be attacked, and while I am out hunting the bad men to protect your women, I leave behind some boys to protect mine."

"Spoken like a true Chief, Blue Wolf." Ben said, slapping him on the back as hey started out.

"Ben..." Sheriff Coffee eyed Blue Wolf cautiously.

"I come to help you find bad men. Help you protect your women, as I would protect mine." Blue Wolf said, offering his hand to Roy, who quickly shook it.

"Be careful, mister, some here are wary of your kind."

Blue Wolf nodded. "I mean no trouble. The man who fires at me shall be a coward to draw on a man of peace, who seeks only to help protect."

Slowly, they started out on he search.

* * *

"Where's Armadillo?" Jesse asked, wondering where her older girl cousin was.

"Right here." she saw Armadillo holding a folded deerskin dress and leggings.

"They're too small for me. Go on, put them on, Jesse. You are an indian, you know. I'm sure my Pa will want you to come with us to meet the merchants."

Her heart sank. "But I'm happy here with the Cartwrights, Armadillo. They're my family."

Armadillo sank down to her knees beside Jesse and placed her hands on her shoulders. "They aren't your family. We are your blood, your future and last? Do you not love us more than strangers?"

Red Hawk, her other eldest male cousin spoke. "Armadillo! Don't say such things about the Cartwrights! They've allowed us to cam on their land, to eat at their table..."

"But can a human raise a wolf cub as it should be raised? No. Neither can a strange white man raise an indian properly. Jesse, put these clothes on. It is your pat, and it is your future."

Jesse shook her head, so confused. "I am only a quarter indian, while you are still half. Your father took an indian wife, and he himself is half indian. My father took a french woman, and I am but a quarter indian. I have the hair of the white man, and the name of one, as well. I was not raised indian."

"But you can still become one." Armadillo said. "I've missed you, Jesse, I want you t come. I have few sisters. We share the same blood, however much we do share. You would leave me for strangers?"

"They are my family..."

"Put the clothes on, Jesse. I will not hate you if you refuse to come with us, but will miss you dearly."

She nodded and stepped behind a bush, dropping her clothes behind her and pulling on the deerskin tunic and pants.

"Jesse, you will always be an indian a heart. I will carry you with me always." Armadillo said, reaching out to touch her younger cousin's cheek as hey stood by the lake.

"As will I, cousin. Thank you... for accepting me."

"I couldn't hate my own cousin."

"Help!" the scream came as a lady stumbled through the brush and fell as their feet. As soon as she saw them she froze and went white with fear.

"Lisa! Lisa, it's me, Jesse!" Jesse crouched beside her friend, who was already trembling.

"These indians are my cousins, Lisa, it's alright, we won't hurt you."

Armadillo knelt on Lisa's other side and gently took her hand, offering her a smile.

Lisa let a wane smile cross her lips as well as she looked from one girl to the next. "I see the resemblance now. I never would have guessed... Does she not talk?"

"She speaks very little English, Lisa. What's wrong, though? Why do you need help?"

Lisa's face fell once again.

"Jesse it's terrible, terrible! All the men are on the posse gone, the Jackson gang is in town! They took over the hotel, they're rounding up all the women, oh, it's terrible, terrible! There are no men left to fight!"

Jess nodded, turning to Red Hawk and explaining in Shoshoni.

Red Hawk nodded and cleared his throat, crouching down beside Lisa and mustering up the english he could.

"Woman no worry. Have men and boys in camp who help. Armadillo, you help woman on horse, go back to camp, elders help her. Jesse, brothers, come- we make ready for battle."

Red Hawk easily lifted Lisa onto his pony, and Armadillo mounted in front of Lisa and took the reins, starting back towards camp.

"Bad men have taken over the city. They come to take the white woman, We make ready to fight for them, now." Red Hawk said to the crowd that had gathered.

"Why fight for white woman? They fear us." one boy said.

"We fight for white woman because white men gone. We wish hey'd do the same for us, if we were gone and bad men came to take our women. We are cowards if we stand by and let them all be shamed. Get the rifles ready, as well as the bows. Grandmother, take good care of white lady." Red Hawk said, motioning to Lisa.

Powders were mixed to war paint, and soon they looked ready to go to war.

"Jesse. You stay with the elders." Red Hawk scolded when he saw she herself was dabbing on the warpaint.

"You need me, Red Hawk. I speak good english."

"You speak english almost better than you do shoshoni." Red Hawk said quietly. "But I am to care for you, since brother Tom is on posse. I protect you now like you are my own sister."

"Red Hawk, I have to go. I know the women in town, they are my friends, and I must fight for them."

"You stay beside me, then." Red Hawk instructed, and she agreed before speaking.

"After the bad men are killed or captured, stay on your horses or feet. Put away your weapons while I talk. The white women will be afraid of you until I explain. No man is to touch a white woman unless it is to save her life, else they will think we are savages."

Red Hawk stood on a trees stump and spoke. "We must chant the war cry. Indian whoops and yells frighten even white men. When bad men are finished we must be silent. White lady like deer, she startle at war cries. Let us ride!"

And then they were on ponies. Jesse remembered the hunt, how the men had rode silently, but this time the boys took up a war chant, and she joined in. They wouldn't all come back, she was sure, but the Jackson gang had to be stopped one way or another...

There were ten men in he Jackson gang, and they were notorious for loving women. They'd managed to take the hotel and has about fifteen terrified women inside when their lookout called.

"Injuns! Injuns are a comin'!"

This frightened the women, and the men grabbed their guns and raced out onto the porch as the women hurried upstairs to hide.

The war whoops seemed to work, because the men were quaking in their boots as they stood.

"Drop your guns!" Jesse yelled over the deafening chorus.

But one man fired and then all hell broke loose. Soon, all the men that'd been standing were laying on he ground. Red Hawk held up his hand and Jesse stepped down from her pony, starting to mount the stairs.

"Don't be afraid, we're not here to hurt you..."

"Liar!" a door to her right swung open, there was the glint of metal and a gunshot, and suddenly her leg was on fire.

"Jesse!" she heard Red Hawk yell her name in anguish and saw the pool of blood growing under her...

The woman, a saloon girl, no doubt, by the way she handled her pistol, scoffed and went to the window. "A indian named Jesse..."

"It's me, Jesse Cartwright..." she muttered. Horses hooves were pounding down the street...

Everyone stared in disbelief.

"What's going on here?" she heard Ben's voice outside and was relieved...

"Red Hawk! Tell them everything!" she yelled hoarsely, before the floor seemed to rise up and meet her.

"Adam! Adam, help me!" she cried, knowing Adam wouldn't be shot for coming up to get her, while an of her indian cousins would.

Adam jumped off his horse, racing upstairs with his gun drawn only to find cowering ladies. All except for Sarah Grimm, who knelt in front of Jesse, pale blue eyes comforting as she held his sister's hand.

The blood... his eyes widened as he saw he blood seeping out from under her.

"Where?" he asked nervously.

"In the thigh somewhere, I'm not sure..."

Adam located the bullet hole in her blood saturated leggings just above her knee and cut the leggings off just above it, pulling off his jacket and pressing it to the wound.

"Pa, I need a doctor!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry..." the Saloon girl muttered, an Adam didn't look up.

Ben was already racing upstairs with Joe and Hoss not far behind him. Adam risked another look at the wound.

"Dang it, the bullet's still there!"

He pulled out his knife and gently felt her leg. The bullet had hit diagonally, It seemed to be sitting right next to bone...

"Adam, are you sure you know what you're doing..."

"Not now, Pa! I'm not going to loose her!" Adam barked with such fierceness Ben stepped back.

Jesse's eyes fluttered open and she looked confused as she watched him gently get ready and poise the knife...

He tried to make the cut as quickly as possible, and she yelped in pain from where she laid.

"Sorry... Somebody get me some alcohol!"

Joe had already come upstairs with a bottle of whiskey.

"Can't we get her drunk first?" Hoss pleaded.

"There isn't time, she's loosing blood..."

Adam opened the bottle and poured some onto his hands. He was going to have to go in and get the bullet... He found it and Jesse screamed, starting to thrash...

Adam jammed his knee onto her chest and ordered Joe to pin her ams down and Hoss to hold her legs.

"Jesse, either this bullet comes out or you're going to die. Now stay still." Adam said with such fierceness even he was shocked. He hated putting Jesse through this, but it was better than loosing her.

"If you thrash it's going to hurt more... just listen to he sound of my voice, alright...?"

He slowly withdrew a bloody two fingers holding the bullet.

"This is going to hurt, but it'll stop infection." Adam splashed some whiskey on the wound and she screamed, such a pained scream Adam saw teas welling in Hoss's eyes and fought not to look away. She needed him now.

He washed his hand in a bowl of water that seemed to have miraculously appeared, grabbing the bed sheet Joe had cleverly grabbed and tearing off a strip with his teeth. H wrapped it as best he cold around the wound, ordering Joe to keep ripping while he held his hand over the make-shift bandage, trying to stop more blood from escaping...

He saw the pained look Jesse was giving him and used his free hand to hold some whisky to her lips. She eagerly drank at it, and Adam saw her eyelids begin to grow heavy. "Just sleep little Jackrabbit, it'll feel better in the morning."

Doc Martin finally arrived soon after that, and kicked everyone there out into the waiting room except Ben. It was then Adam noticed he'd had an audience during the entire thing. Blue Wolf and two of her cousins had been there, as well as Joe, Tom, and Hoss. Sarah had gotten the bowl of water, it seemed, and some other indian boys stayed around as well, waiting for news.

Adam found his hands suddenly shaking and his head pounding, realising he'd jut preformed an operation. More swear dotted his brow, and he thought how strange it was the panic hit him afterwards, not in the middle of it all when he'd finally gotten hold of the bullet...

His sister could be dying because of him, though he knew i wasn't true. The longer the bullet had remained, the worse off she'd have been, but still, she'd looked rough...

The door opened and Doc Martin stepped out. "She'll pull through." he announced.

Adam felt his knees go weak with relief and leaned back against the wall, offering up a silent prayer of thanks...

"Who dug the bullet out of her?"

"I did." Adam said shakily.

"You probably saved her life, son. Ben knows what she needs, now, she'd best stay here for a night before you take her home, and then..." Adam slid past Doc Martin, not even hearing what he was saying and e knelt beside his sister's bedside. She looked pale and sick,but she was going to be alright... that was all that mattered.


	26. Good News

**You guys didn't think I'd end the story that soon, did you? Hck no! I even came up with a ton of delays toher Pa won't be back for a long time, and even then, I'm dreaming up a sequqel! Enjoy!**

Ben, may I have a word with you?" Blue Wolf asked quietly as Jesse slept.

Ben nodded and stood, knowing the man wanted to talk in private, and they quietly strode down a trail.

Adam looked after them and swallowed the tears in the back of his throat. He watched Jesse just breathe quietly as she slept. He'd known Jesse would have to go home sometime, but still, it was so soon... And she was still weak.

Her leg was in a splint to keep the fractured bone in place from where the bullet had hit it. Even now, her face was paler he expected, and he wasn't sure he could bear to watch her leave, even if Blue Wolf was her kin.

"Adam, move!" Joe ordered, moving past his brother to grab Jesse.

"What's wrong?" Adam asked, everything within him suddenly alert.

"I'll explain in a minute, just come on!"

Joe hurried downstairs, Jesse in his arms, slipping out the back door towards the old barn that was waiting to be inhabited again in he western corner.

They kept feed and hay there, and They finally made it there. Joe awkwardly climbed the ladder with Jesse, cradling her against him until they'd reached the loft and panting, setting her down.

When they'd caught their breath, Adam turned to Joe.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

Joe smiled. "It's the plan. Her uncle might want to take her, so I figured we'd hide her up here until we could arrange to buy her."

Adam stared. "Really? They're her kin, Joe, they won't let you buy her!"

"Think they'd go for borrow, maybe, or, what if I traded Cochese for her? And you traded Sport... Indians love horses, right?" Joe was pleading with him now, Adam could see.

"You wold trade Sport for her, wouldn't you?" Joe asked, his voice now barely above a whisper.

"Of course I'd trade Sport for her, Joe, but they want Jesse, and they have more right to keep her than we do..."

"Shhh!" Joe motioned to the small window outside. Blue Wolf and Ben were talking underneath it, and they listened quietly.

"Ben, I believe it's what Jacob would have wanted. You can give her a steady home and a good place, not to mention your boys are wonderful bothers to her, as well as Tom. Jacob would want me to make sure of two things. That she was given a good home while he was absent, and that she was happy. Your boys saving her life shows already how good a place this is, and I see the light in her eyes to know here she's found more happiness than I could ever bring her. If you would like to watch her until her father returns, then I give you my blessing."

Adam and Joe exchanged elated glance and strained their ears to hear Ben's response.

"I would be honoured to care for her, Blue Wolf, but Thomas- I see how he looks at you. I believe he would prefer a life with you, at least for a little while, and the boy is old enough to chose. I would love to care for him as well, but I want the boy to be happy..."

Blue Wolf nodded. "I agree. We'll let the boy chose. Perhaps he can come down to the crossing, to where we meet the merchant, and visit with us for awhile, and then come home when we pass by this place again. I don't believe he truly wants to leave, but boys that age have a wandering spirit..."

"That sounds about right. Thank you, Blue Wolf, it was an honour."

"Thank you, Ben. We will leave tomorrow at noon. Tell the boy to have his decision ready by then."

Adam and Joe were silent as they carefully carried Jesse into the ouse, wondering what Tom would do.


	27. The Decision

Tom heard what Ben and Blue Wolf had to say. It was all very reasonable, that they knew Jesse wanted to stay at the Ponderosa, but that they believed he was old enough to chose whether or not to stay or go.

He wanted to go!He loved the Cartwrights, and especially Jesse, but there came a time in every young man's life when he wanted to be on his own, to see new things and experience the world like the ocean, roaring and buzzing as the life came in waves all about him...

He'd spent a sleepless night trying to decide. Blue Wolf had said it would only be fore a time, until they could troop down the last few hundred miles o meet the merchant and trade, then they'd come back towards the Shoshoni homeland and when they camped at the Ponderosa he could decide which walk of life he wanted...

But Jesse was to stay! And Jesse was his sister, his world. She'd been his everything since they'd lost the ranch. And so, he out aside his longing early that morning to go and tell her he'd stay.

She'd been waiting for him, he could tell, and the sunlight streamed into the room, making her hair look golden. She looked so like their Ma it was stunning for a moment.

"Have you chosen?" she asked quietly. She already knew about the situation, then.

"Yes. I will stay with you." he said, keeping all sadness from his voice, But Jesse gave him a look and set her hand on top of his.

"I see you want to go, Tom, so go." she said quietly.

"But... I must stay with you!" he protested.

"Brother, you don't have to hover about me constantly. I have the Cartwrights, our family. You're still in the family, but you want to travel, to experience a bit. Pa understands, as do I. The Cartwrights will care for me. Don't you trust them?"

"Yes, but..."  
"But what? You're afraid of the troubles I'll get into without you. I have the Cartwrights, like I said, and it's not like much will be going on with my leg healing. The sun beckons, the coyotes call you, you're young and restless, and you want to experience, so go. Who knows..." she added, grinning. "You just might find a girlfriend."

Tom smiled. "I'll go, but I'm coming back. Nothing could keep me from my family forever."

"Of course not. Write some of it down for me, want to read about it when you get back."

Tom nodded and stood. "I have to go pack..."

Still, Tom felt a tug at his heart when he sat astride his pony, dressed in his indian clothing, ready to embark on the journey. Joe had gone to get Jesse from upstairs, and he carried her down so they could say their last goodbyes.

"Set me down, Joe." she said calmly, and she stood, leaning on Tom's pony on one foot while she spoke.

"Jesse, I've changed my mind..." he said quietly.

"No you haven't. Don't be a coward, Tom. I see you want to leave. Don't let me hold you back from happiness."

"But I... I already miss you..." Tom hung his head and a tear fell onto his pony's saddle...

"Come here." she said quietly. He leaned down and she whispered in his ear.

"Whenever you miss me, close your eyes, and I'll be with you. When homesickness comes at night to torture you, look at the sky- know that I sleep under the same stars you do. When you look at the sun, know the light from it blinds me too. When you look at the ground, know I walk upon the same earth you do. When you are in a storm, know I am dancing in the rain too, watching the war in the sky. Only time can keep us apart, brother. I love you, so I let you go."  
"I love you too, so I will come back." Tom promised, blinking back the tears and gently kissing her forehead. "And I will carry you with me always."  
She nodded and embraced him, before she hopped backwards and Adam picked her up again to keep her injured leg off the ground.  
"Goodbye! Goodbye!" they called, waving as they finally rode away. Tom looked back at her to see her waving, and gave one final wave as well, before he disappeared behind the stand of timber and was gone on his journey, officially starting out on the first real trip without his father or sister in his entire life.


	28. Daniel's Visit

"Daniel, has the Klan still got it out for the girl?" Simon asked one of his hands quietly.

Daniel shook his head. "Not from what I hear. All the prejudice against Soshoni indians died when they saved those women. Why?"

"Tell them all not to lay a hand on her. She's mine."

Daniel kicked his horse on at a faster pace, and hurried towards the ponderosa in the cover of darkness. Jesse's Pa could reasonably be back at any time, it was already the first week in august, and Simon was in a hurry to get ahold of the deed. He'd heard about Jesse's incident in Virginia city, but he'd bumped into Little Joe in town and he'd said she was doing much better and was dying to get the splint taken off, typical Jesse.

Still, she was in danger now more than ever since Simon had gotten it int his head he wanted to get that deed once in for all, and he had to warn the Cartwrights. Tom must have thought business with Simon had died down before he left with the Shoshoni, but that wasn't the case. Besides, he owed it to his long time friend to be sure his sister was safe while he was absent.

He left the tired horse at the hitching post. It wasn't going anywhere, he reasoned, and he was in a hurry. He quietly knocked at he Cartwright's door- even being here was a risk, but one he was willing to take. He had to deliver the news.

Adam answered the door, looking slightly surprised. It was a bizarre hour of the night to come calling, but he let him in, anyways. Tom had trusted Daniel, and so he would, too.

Jesse was asleep on the sofa, since she had an easier time with her leg propped up, and Ben looked up from his chair.

Daniel was oblivious to both of them as he slowly went by to see Jesse. The ugly splint took all his attention, he'd hoped it wasn't true... But she was hurt. He brushed the hair away from her face and took a shaky breath before turning to Ben.

"Simon's restless. He wants to make sure he has the deed before her Pa gets back. I thought you should know."

Ben stood and nodded. "Thank you for telling us..."

"It's not a problem, I know Tom would want me to watch out for her in his absence... Be careful, Mr. Cartwright, her life isn't something to toy with."

"I know that, Tom." Ben said, slightly surprised by the young man's devotion.

"Good. I won't hesitate to do whatever's necessary to save her life. She's only thirteen, after all."

Adam stared. "Since when has she been thirteen?"

"Since august first. You mean she didn't tell you?"

"No, we'll have to talk to her about it." Adam said, exchanging a look with Ben.

Daniel nodded. "Give her this for me, please. I would've come sooner, but I couldn't get out..." Daniel gently set down a small box wrapped in brown paper on the end table beside her.

"Goodnight, Mr. Cartwright." He said. His gaze lingered lovingly on Jesse for a moment- the girl was almost like his sister, but she was away at school in San Francisco... He finally left and closed the door behind him.


	29. Wild Horse

Adam sighed as soon as Daniel was gone, sitting down in a chair across from his Pa.

"That was interesting." he remarked, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"Yes, it was. We'll be trying to keep her on the Ponderosa after this..."

Adam scoffed. "Good luck. She swore last week she was going riding as soon as Doc Martin took the splint off, and he's coming by tomorrow."

"I know. We'll just have to do our best, her Pa should be back by the end of august at the latest."

Adam sighed. "Another thing, that Daniel fellow. I don't trust him. I know Tom does, but..."

"Adam, he clearly knows her well. I mean,he knows her birthday and seems to genuinely care about her."

"Care about her, or for her?" Adam asked quietly, and Ben raised his eyebrows.

"Adam, he's helping us..."

"But why, Pa? Didn't you see the way he was looking a her? I mean, she's in a nightdress... I was sixteen once, Pa, I know what's going through his mind."

"Adam, we'll talk about this later. You might as well take her up to her bed now that she's asleep.."  
Adam knew better than to argue, though he suddenly had the fierce desire to confront Daniel about why he was helping them and why he'd looked a Jesse like that...

He sighed and carried her upstairs though, gently laying her in her bed and placing the covers over her. There friendship had grown. They didn't talk that much when they weren't working together, but when they were, they told each other stories and dreams and ideas, and it'd bonded them even further.

Adam set the small package on the bedside table and brushed he hair from her face. She was in more danger now than ever.  
He noticed she'd left the window open- she loved fresh air- but he walked over and closed it, making sure it was latched. He turned back to her and couldn't help but smile. Her hair fell around her face in all its chestnut glory now, the blue quilt she slept under covering up to her midsection where her lavender nightdress came through, and her expression portrayed her childhood innocence.

Her mouth was slightly open, eyes closed, a slight smile on her face, looking completely relaxed...

He gently kissed her forehead before blowing out the lamp beside her bed and slipping out into the hallway, shutting the door behind him.

She woke up to find her window shut and sunlight streaming through the glass, striking something on her bedside table...

She saw something wrapped in brown paper with her name written in spidery handwriting on it... Her breath caught in her throat as recognition hit, and she carefully reached over and traced her hands over the dried ink... It was clearly written out painfully slow to be neat, so like Daniel...

She carefully opened the envelope on it and found the letter, reading what was written on it in his script that was desperately trying to be neat.

_Dear Jesse,_

_It's been awhile since you were always tagging along with Tom and I when we were kids, and unfortunately the circumstances aren't as pleasant. Anyways, to get to the point, Simon is getting ready to try and get the deed. Your Pa should be back soon, and he wants to destroy it so he can take the ranch. I need you to be careful, more careful than ever, now- I want to have happier times with you again. Happy birthday, though. I tried to get the one I thought you'd like best. You'll know when to use it._  
_Love,Daniel_

She felt warm all over, suddenly, but she set the note on the mattress and opened the package carefully... It was a small pistol, small enough to stash in her boot. It was a three shot, glinting in the sunlight... There were running horses engraved on it she saw, with closer inspection, and she smiled. Daniel had included a box of bullets, as well...

She heard footsteps on the stairs and quickly hid the gun and bullets under the sheet, not sure Pa would approve of her having such a gun.

A moment later there was a knock at the door.

"Jesse, it's Pa. The Doctor is here."

"Just a minute, Pa..." she said quietly, standing and putting some weight on her leg, though she knew Pa would scold her if he caught her. She pulled on her jeans. Adam had cut the leg so the splint wasn't a trouble. She pulled off the nightdress and pulled on a shirt, hiding the thing under the bed and hopping back onto the bed.

"You can come in, now."

"Hello, Jesse. How's the leg feeling?" Doc Martin asked.

"Great. I've been itching to get out of this splint and walk..."

"She actually has done some walking, though she shouldn't have." Adam said, eyebrows arching disapprovingly.

"Jesse, it's for your well being that you stay off that leg until it's healed..."

He started to take off the splint and felt the bone, checking it again. His brow furrowed as he started to check it a third time.

"Is there something wrong, Paul?" Ben asked, noting he look on Doc Martin's face.

"Nothing, Ben, it's just... I think the bone's mended."

"I told you it felt fine, Pa." Jesse said, sliding off the bed and grinning. "Come on Joe, let's go for a ride..."

"Not so fast." Adam caught her by the shoulders and had her sit back down, though she gave him a look.

"Doc, you're sure she's alright?"

"Yes, Adam, it's mended completely... Phenomenal..."

"Come on, Joe!" she grabbed Joe's arm. She was dying to get up on a horse again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming..." Joe said, smiling. It was good to have his partner in crime back.

"Paul, is that... normal?" Ben asked, slightly surprised.

Paul shook his head. "Honestly, I was expecting it to take longer to heal, but then again, Jesse is hardly ordinary, is she?"

"Certainly not, Paul." Adam said, smiling before slipping outside.

Jesse and Joe thundered past on their horses at a terrifying speed.

"Are you trying to break your leg again?" Adam yelled after them.

"Cut them some slack, Adam. Jesse's been inside for an entire month, almost." Ben said, putting a hand on his eldest's shoulder as Paul's horse left.

"Yes, but she's going to get herself killed, I just know it..."

"Wooooooo!" Joe and Jesse let their horses finally slow to a walk, down by the pen where the horses were broken and the broncos were busted...

Jesse stared at a beautiful red-brown horse with a white star on his chest. Jesse stared at it and dismounted, slowly walking towards him. He was in the pen, but was so beautiful...

"Jesse! Jesse, don't!" Adam yelled, but he was too far off for Jesse to hear him.

That horse was wild, it roamed the land alone, had managed, miraculously, to jmo the fence into the pen with the other horses, and Joe didn't know that...

"Jesse!" Charlie saw him and started hurrying to try and stop her, but she'd already jumped the fence and was slowly approaching the horse, mystified...

"Jesse, stop!" Adam had pushed Sport to a full out gallop, now, but she still didn't hear him. He felt so helpless as she reached the horse now, Joe coaching her on how to be still and not spook the animal. Little did he know what a demon that wild horse was...

Without warning the horse reared, letting out a scream. Jesse froze, staring at the animal now. Adam had seen this before, the horse would bring its front hooves down on her chest...

She ducked under the hooves and came out on the animal's right side, and the horse set its hooves down and whirled, flank pinning her to the fence.

The horse stared her in her eyes, hot breath steaming in the morning air as it touched her cheeks, eyes fierce and wild, and Jesse realized the horse could crush her in an instant as she stared into her eyes.

Adam drew his pistol. He hated to risk hitting Jesse to kill the thing, but better to risk killing her than to have her death warrant signed by letting the beast live...

Jesse heard the hooves pounding and turned to see Adam with his gun raised...

"No!" she yelled, and the horse whirled and was gone, leaping over the pen and galloping away at a speed that seemed impossible...

"Adam! What's going on?" Joe demanded, as Adam rode up.

"That horse is wild, Joe, only jumped into the pen. It would've killed her."

"Adam, we have to go after it..." Jesse said quietly.

"No! You were almost killed just then, how could you be so reckless?" He slung her across his knee and spanked her a few times, hard, until his anger abated, and she stood, blushing slightly at being spanked in front of Charlie.

"Adam, that's my horse..."

"That is a wild animal. It's untamable. I've seen it kill a man, Jesse."  
"He had to have done it for a reason. When was that?"

Adam sighed. "It was with Marty Fly, he approached it, thought he lost it, and it killed him..."

"Well Marty Fly beats his horses to death if he can't break them. Horses can tell a person by looking a them, Adam. You're the one who told me that."

Adam felt more anger at his own words being used against him.

"Jesse, you're not to go near that horse ever again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Adam." she lowered her eyes.

"Jesse, you..." he sighed, so exasperated he was at a loss for words.

Jesse mounted her horse, still not meeting his eyes. "I got chores to catch up on."

Adam explained the situation to Ben, later. Ben sighed.

"Adam, you really can't blame her. It was in the pen with the gentled horses, she must've thought it was alright..."

"Yes, but she's in love with it now. She's in love with a wild thing, and it already killed Marty Fly."

Ben sighed again. "Adam, I remember Marty owning that horse until it ran away. You know how he was to his animals, it's only natural it acts the way it does..."

"But I don't want it near Jesse." Adam finished. "I'll switch the daylights out of her if I catch her near it again."


	30. The Round Up

**Last chapter, Jesse didn't know the horse was wild. It'd jumped into the pen and she wanted to see it. Just thought I'd tell you soyou don't think she's foolhardy as well as reckless.**

The next weeks was round up, and it was going to be hard without Tom to help. Ben had realized just how hard the boy worked when he left.

"Pa, can I help on round up?" Jesse asked eagerly at dinner the night before he round up was to begin.

"No!" Adam said quickly, earning himself a glare from Ben.

"Yes, Jesse, if you're responsible and you do what Adam and I tell you."

"Thanks, Pa!" she grinned and hugged Ben, who didn't stiffen a this display of affection as Adam thought he would've, but simply returned the hug.

"Now finish your dinner and go on to bed. You've got a big day head of you tomorrow."

She nodded and finished dinner quickly, being sure to use her fork and knife and manners, clearing off her plate before bounding upstairs to her room.

"Yes!" she whispered, pumping her fist in the air. Her first real round up on her own horse. Her Pa had had her ride in front of him when she was little, and she'd loved the thrill of it all, dozens of huge cattle thundering across the land... But now she'd be on her own horse, helping! She grinned, so excited it took her awhile to fall asleep.

Adam studied the faces of his family. Je and Hoss had a reminiscent expression on their aces, as though re,e,bering how excited they'd been before their first round up.

Ben looked calm and slightly happy.

"Are you insane?" Adam asked Ben in a low voice, and Ben looked up at him.

"Adam..." his tone was warning, but Adam didn't care. He had to let out his raging emotions somehow.

"What? She's thirteen, Pa, and barely that. She's small, headstrong, and reckless! Do you want her to die!?"

"Adam, this is my house, an Jesse is my daughter to care for. You will not speak to me in that tone ever again, do you understand me?" Ben asked, voice growing hard as well.

"No! No, I don't understand you! I'm beginning to think you don't even love her, the way you let her just waltz into danger! If you won't look out for her, then I will!"

Joe and Hoss stared at their brother in shock, and Adam stood, going up to his room. He stopped and peered into Jesse's room to find her peacefully asleep. So she wasn't going to have nightmares tonight. He felt slightly sad about that- he felt so calm whenever she crawled into bed with him, which as most of the time, knowing he could keep her safe from any danger while she was snuggled against him in his arms...

He sighed and flopped onto his bed, wondering what on Earth he'd just done. He'd yelled at his father, for Pete's sake, questioned his caring for Jesse... What had he done?

Nothing, he realized, he'd done nothing but anger his Pa and upset his brothers in a vain attempt to get Jesse off the round-up, which she was still going on.

"Why do they have to grow up, God?" he asked, lifting his eyes before falling into a guilty sleep.

Jesse fidgeted the next morning at breakfast, and Ben gave her a look.

"I'm sorry, Pa, I can't sit still..." she mumbled, clasping her hands on her lap and trying to keel the buzzing excitement from her, but soon her fingers started to twitch...

Ben couldn't help but crack a smile. Just like Little Joe. He thought.

"Jesse, why don't you go saddle up the horses?" he asked, and she nodded and hurried outside.

Ben shook his head. "So energetic."

"Well can you blame her, Pa? Remember how we were on our first round up?" Joe asked, and Ben chuckled.

"Yes, Joe, I do."

"Poor gal's going ta' find it's a lot of work, though." Hoss said, polishing off a half a dozen on pancakes with four sausage links and moving onto the bacon.

"Nah, it'll all just be fun to her. You know how she is." Joe said.

Adam wordlessly stood and slipped out to the barn.

The horses were already saddled, he checked each one and found she'd done an excellent job. Where was she?

He heard singing suddenly, so light and free it reminded him of Marie, and he closed his eyes and leaned against the barn to listen to it.

Sport had thrown a shoe, and Jesse saddled the spare horse for Adam.

"Jesse, come on!" Joe yelled. The singing was so quiet only Adam could hear it. The song abruptly stopped and she hurried outside and mounted up.

"Jesse, you'll make sure no cattle stray off the sides. Adam rides the other side, and Hoss, Joe and I will bring up the rear."

Adam nodded- he'd have to apologize for speaking to his father like he had he last night. He'd do it later, after all the work was done.

They rode out to where they'd be, and things went on with relative smoothness.

Then, suddenly everything went haywire. The herd turned, a shot spooked it, and Adam's horse reared. Before he could do anything, he was in the dirt, surrounded by thundering hooves.

"Adam!" He heard Jesse yell his name over the thundering hooves, saw her turn her horse recklessly through the stream of rushing cattle.

"Jesse, no, don't!" but she was already coming towards him... the herd turned as well, about to run them down. Adam's horse had run away, and Jesse reached him and pulled her own horse in front of him, pulling her pistol and getting ready to fire on any cattle that tried to hit them.

"Get on." she ordered.

Adam had felt his ankle twisting when he hit the ground, and knew he wouldn't be able to get up.

"Adam, come on!" the cattle came even closer, and he could hear his brothers and father shouting in the distance.

" Go without me! I... I can't... twisted my ankle..."

Jesse dismounted and holstered her pistol, helping him stagger to his feet.

"Adam, you have to mount now!"

Adam felt the white hot pain in his chest and leg but he mounted up, for Jesse's sake, though the pain almost caused him to black out.

Jesse swung up behind him. The horse trembled where it stood.  
"Go! Go!" they had seconds, the dust from the stampede blinding them, Adam forced his dominant foot, the twisted ankle, to spur the animal on, though a moan on pain escaped his lips, and the horse ran.

The horse finally stopped, bucking from fear and terror as it threw it's burden and ran.

Adam blacked out as he hit the ground.


	31. The Capture

The horse finally stopped, bucking from fear and terror as it threw it's burden and ran.

Adam blacked out as he hit the ground.

"Adam... Adam..." she tapped Adam's cheek lightly, praying he was alright. The fall from his horse had injured him, no doubt, and then being thrown...

Adam moaned quietly as he came to, but instantly recollection came back.

"Jesse!" He sat up and started coughing, dry throat getting to him.

"I'm fine, Adam. How do you feel?"

Adam took a moment to look her over, being sure she was telling the truth. Aside from a few scrapes, she looked fine. He coughed again.

"Thirsty, I guess. Where are we?"

"By the Western corner of the property. I'm sorry, but the horse ran off with our canteens..."

"It's fine. Help me up,would you?"

She obliged, and he leaned against a rock. They were near the timber forest, now, at least a mile from where the stampede had take place. He broke off a branch to use as a crutch and Jesse looked at him.

"We should go North."

"What? That'd be even farther from Pa..."

"Yeah, but Joe and I found a spring up there, we could camp out by it. We probably wouldn't be able to get back to the cattle on time, anyways, with your leg like it is, and in this heat we'll die without water."

Adam nodded, knowing she was right. But he hated the thought of hiking all the way to where the spring was, wherever it was.

Jesse slung his arm over her shoulder. "We should get going." she said, and he nodded, starting the slow and painful journey with her.

He was surprised she could bear most of the weight he put on her, between alternating his crutch and good leg, but she did, and they made good time staggering along.

Finally, Jesse helped him down.

"We're close. I don't remember the exact location, rest while go scout a bit."Adam nodded, too exhausted and thirsty to argue.

"Take your gun." he muttered hoarsely, and she nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll be real careful." she said, and he allowed a wane smile to cross his lips.

"Thanks, Jesse." he croaked, and she disappeared behind a stand of pines, while he prayed fervently that God watch over her.

She slipped down past the small rise and found the rock outcropping, newly hidden by a stand of pines, she heard the trickling water and fought through the heavy branches, finding a pool about five feet in diameter that was the start of a small ravine and grinning, hurrying back towards Adam.

She was worried about him, he seemed subdued and in pain, as well as exhausted, and she wanted to do all she could to ease his mind, even if it mean half-carrying him to the spring.

"Adam, I found it."

"Great."

She helped Adam struggle to his feet and limp down to the spring. She held aside the pine branches and Adam took a long drink. She did the same, and washed the sweat and grime from her face, sitting back against the rocks until she found what she was looking for. A small hole in the rocky outcropping, fairly hidden.

"Adam, I found the cave."

Adam struggled down and she helped him into the dank, cool rock before slipping down herself.

It was a small cave, and she held his hand in the darkness, wondering if Pa could track them here. She'd made their trail obvious in the hopes they would, and she might be able to get help for Adam sooner.

Adam felt her worry as her hand started to sweat, and tried to put her mind on other things.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes..."

"Here..." he dug in his pocket and found the jerky he always kelt with him, handing it to her.

"Don't you want any?" she asked, a bit surprised.

"Nah, I ate a huge breakfast." it was true. He hadn't wanted to meet anyone's eyes, so he'd barely looked up form his plate.

"Go on, eat- you need to keep your strength up."

She obeyed, and he heard her finally settle to stillness beside him.

"Thanks."

"No problem." but he was already wondering if Pa would find them by dinner, r if Jesse would have to hunt. As if in answer to his question, she fired off a quick shot outside the cave.

"What was it?" he asked quietly.

"Squirrel." she slipped out and found it, dead where it'd fallen. Adam had managed to crawl out f the cave to follow her, and he beamed at her.

"Good job. Come here, I'll skin it. Gather some pine boughs and we'll make a fire. Don't go too far"

She nodded, already eager to please Adam more. Praise like the complement he'd given was rare.

She understood why he'd agreed to skin the squirrel, as well. He could do it without aggravating his injury much, while she could feel useful by gathering the kindling for a fire.

"The smoke might signal Pa!" she said happily, still smiling.

"Exactly. And if not, we still cook dinner." Adam said, beaming as well as she scurried off to get the wood.

Soon they sat before a crackling fire. The heat from it was almost unbearable, but Adam knelt near the fire to cook the meat on a stick.

He waited for it to cool before eating some, Jesse doing the same, It'd grown to be dusk by now, and Adam quietly put out the campfire out and the chill of night came.

"How's the ankle?" Jesse asked, looking up from the bed pine boughs she'd been making for them.

"Alright. I can make it to the spring by myself." Adam said, but she walked beside him anyways and they both drank again before heading back towards the little cave.

Jesse was already shivering slightly, and the thought of sleeping on the cold cave floor disappeared when Adam thought of the warm nest of pine boughs...

Of course Jesse hadn't made separate beds for them. They were close, they thought of one another as siblings, and Jesse often slipped into Adam's bed when she was plagued by nightmares anyways, and he was no stranger of wrapping his ams around her shivering body when she nuzzled against him.

"Cold?" he asked, giving her a wane smile as she nodded through chattering teeth.

"Don't worry, it'll warm up with our body heat eventually."

She nodded again, still looking cold, and he pressed himself over her more tightly, trying to shelter her from the cold wind. Why nights by the dessert were so cold he could ponder later, he figured.

"See those stars up there? It's the big dipper." he pointed and continued naming off constellations. Even since Joe was little, he'd found that he liked to listen to his chest while he spoke. Probably the soothing of the vocal chords vibrating...

After a few minutes her shivering subsided, and her gentle, easy breathing told him she was asleep.

"Wonderful job today, little Jackrabbit." he whispered to her as she slept. "Wonderful job."

He woke up to find she was gone from his arms and heard her screaming.

"Jesse! Jesse, where are you!?"

"Don't kill him! I said don't! You want me and you've got me! You'll hang if you kill him, my Pa will make sure of that!"

"Roger, let's go. We've got her, that's all he wants..."

"Jesse! Jesse, no!" he aimed his pistol blindly in the night, but he couldn't see anything in the faint light cast by the embers of the fire, and with the sound of horses hooves, she was gone.


	32. Playing With Matches

**Sorry about the technical difficulties in posting this, guys! I posted the wrong doc! Thanks to isaboe for pming me about it, :)**

Adam tried twice to get to his feet and fell, hurting even more, but finally did stagger, finding his walking stick. There was n way he could find he trail f the horses, but he knew if he could find his Pa, they would do everything they could to find her...

"Pa! Pa!" his head was on fire, his joints felt rusty, and he moaned quietly, the silent tears rolling down his cheeks. He suddenly realized who it was that had taken her. It was Simon.

* * *

She'd awoken when hands had pulled her away from Adam. She'd been startled, and tried to fight, but she earned herself a smack before Adam started yelling for her.

The one man reached for his pistol, but she flung herself at him desperately, still hearing Adam calling form where she'd been dragged away from him.

She'd pleaded for his life, threatening to be sure they'd hang if they killed him, and her recollection ended when she was thrown over the back of a horse and hit her head against the hard hip bone...

* * *

"Pa!" Adam croaked. He was burning, he could feel it, and his head ached, his throat was so dry he could barely open his mouth... Dawn had begun to break when he fell for probably the sixth time and staggered back to his feet. Then he heard the faint call in the distance.

"Adam!" it was his Pa, he was sure.

He fumbled for his gun and fired off a shot, and horses hooves answered him as he forced himself towards them.

Thankfully, the pain in his ankle had abated to only a dull throb, and he staggered on.

Ben felt hope flutter within him as soon as he heard then shot, and turned Buck towards the sound, continuing to call. He was hopeful because he heard the faint replies tok his call, but his heart leapt to his throat when he saw the state his son was in.

There was a large, purple bruise on Adam's face, and he was covered in dried blood and dirt. He was limping and his eyes burned with a glassy, unnatural light, his cheeks flushed red... Tears rolled down his cheeks, leaving tracks in the blood, and Ben jumped off and raced toward him.

"Adam, Adam son, what hurts?"

Adam shook his head, knees buckling, and continued to cry.

"Adam, Adam talk to me!" Ben thundered, on the edges of panic. He could feel the heat of fever coming off the boy, and the state he was in worried him even more.

"I... I couldn't save her..." Adam choked the words out, and Ben felt his own throat constrict and held his canteen to Adam's lips, though his son tried to pull away, and forced him to drink.

"Simon and his men... they took her... They took her from me..." A sob shook his chest, and he yelped in pain as his chest burned.

"They took her..." Adam shuddered before going terrifyingly limp in his arms.

"Hoss, ride for the Doctor. Joe, help me get him back to the house."

"But Pa, what about Jesse?"

"Joe, now." Ben said, in a tone that wasn't to be argued with. He was already terribly afraid as he hefted his eldest into his arms and sat him on Buck in front of him and started towards the house as fast as he dared.

Joe went to get water as Ben peeled off his son's jacket and shirt, which were soaked with sweat. He pulled off the gun belt and his son't leather pants next, leaving him in his jeans. Joe was already working wordlessly with the wet cloth, washing the blood and grime from his brother's chest.

Ben felt his son's hair was plastered to it with sweat, and Ben knew he had developed a bad fever.

"Pa, something isn't right..." Ben looked where his son was pointing, where Adam's chest was turning dark purple and Adam's breath as short and shallow.

"We'll have Paul take a look at it, Joe." Ben said quietly. Joe nodded and continued to help until doc Martin entered.

* * *

"Tell me where the deed is, and you'll get out of this alive. I have in interest in you, brat, or your so called family of Cartwrights. I just want your ranch."

"Never. My Pa worked his entire life to build the place..." Simon hit her and she tasted blood, falling on her back onto the floor from where she'd been kneeling but dragging herself back to her feet.

"Never. You'll have to kill me first."

"That can be arranged." Simon said through grit teeth, before storming out of the room and slamming the door, leaving her bound up on the floor.

* * *

Joe looked up from where he and Cochiese were trotting silently. Dawn still hadn't broken yet, but Doc Martin had arrived on the Ponderosa, and so he figure it was a good time to sneak off. He was worried about Adam, but he was in good hands- he needed to make sure Jesse was fine, as well.

He'd gone back by the spring where he suspected they were staying and followed their trail to an old, falling down shanty on the outskirts of Ponderosa property. He had no doubt she was being kept here, and he dismounted Cochiese, leaving him hidden in the trees and starting off on foot towards the place, striking a match.

She heard frantic yells from her upstairs room and smiled. One of the Cartwrights had come for her, meaning they'd found Adam...

She heard gunshots and Joe kicked open the door to her room a moment later.

He scooped her up and raced downstairs, staggering out the back door. She saw the entire place being engulfed in flames and was blinded by smoke for a moment...

Joe dropped her behind a bush and pulled out his knife, cutting her bonds before throwing her onto Cochise in front of him, racing away.

"Thanks for the rescue." she said, and Joe grinned.

"Looked like you needed it."

"Pa's going to tan your hide when he finds out yo snuck off to get me."

"I'm hoping he'll be happy enough to get you back that he forgets about that. Adam's been yelling for you, too..."

They lapsed into somber silence for the rest of the long ride home.

* * *

"He'll be alright, Ben. Nasty sprained ankle and a few broken ribs, as well as some heat exhaustion, but he'll mend with a few days of bed rest." Doc Martin sad, packing up his things. He'd done what he could for the eldest Cartwright boy,and Ben nodded.

"Thanks again, Paul..."

"Not a problem. But where's that little girl of your's, Jesse? She find trouble again?"

Adam, in his half-awake state, struggled to sit up.

"Jesse! Pa, Simon got her, you have to get Jesse!" he tried to struggle to his feet, but Ben held him down.

"Hoss went for the sheriff already, Adam, they'll find her..."

Hoss, who'd returned a short while ago, nodded, but this didn't comfort Adam either.

"He'll kill her, Pa, I know he will. Get the deed... and kill her..." tears filled Adam's eyes and threatened to spill over, and Ben knew there was nothing he could do to calm his son.

Paul watched, wishing there was something he could do to help...

"Pa, where's little Joe?" Hoss asked suddenly, realizing his brother was gone.

"Are all my children intent on disappearing!?" Ben looked as though he was going to tear his hair out when suddenly they heard hoof-beats.

"Adam! Adam, we're home!" Joe yelled, dismounting with Jesse. They both raced through the door and ran to Adam's side.

"Jesse, thank god..." Adam held her close for a moment, smelling the familiar scent of lavender, mixed with perspiration and Joe's cologne, as well as... smoke?

He looked at her, seeing her face covered in soot, as well as Joe's. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Adam."

"Me too, thanks for asking." Joe said, crossing his arms.

Adam rolled his eyes before turning back to Jesse. "Why are you two... smoky?"

"Joe here decided to play with matches. Pa, the old shanty burned down, just so you know."

Adam stared at Joe. "You burned it down! With her in it!?"

"I needed a distraction, alright?" Joe said, sighing. "Besides, I got her here like you wanted. Isn't that enough?"

Joe had sat down in the chair by now, and Jesse quietly curled up beside Adam on the sofa and slept. Adam unconsciously put his arm around his sister before the laundrum again took affect and he, too, fell off into a deep sleep.

**Please read and review and I'll hurry and post the next chapter! Wait until you see what trouble they find next! :)**


	33. The Note

"Jesse, I would like you to wear a dress tonight, we're having company. A possible business deal, I want you all to behave." Ben said, looking around at his brood.

"Does it have to be a fancy dress, Pa?" she asked, sighing.

"Just enough to look nice, Jesse." Ben assured her, and she nodded before slipping upstairs and changing. She hated wearing dresses, but she'd do it for Ben. She slid on her aqua dress with a bow. The skirt poofed out, and the top was nice as well. Her hair remained in the long braid.

She lifted the skirt and slowly made her way downstairs, looking up to see Ben smiling.

"You look wonderful, Jesse."

She blushed slightly and adjusted her skirt before sitting down in the blue chair.

"Thanks, Pa. I'll try not to mess it up."

The doorbell rang just then, and Ben answered the door and grinned.

"Hello, Mr. James! And Henry, as well! Please, come in! Meet my family, Adam, Hoss, Joe, Tom, and my daughter, Jesse."

Jesse, to Ben's delight, actually curtsied slightly before them both.

"What a wonderful young lady!"Mr. James complemented, and Jesse blushed and stood closer to Adam, feeling bashful for once.

They sat down in the parlor, and the men started to talk business.

"Forgive me, Ben, but I've left the plans in my saddle bag." Mr. James said, sighing.

"Please, allow me to get it, Sir." Jesse said, standing, and Mr. James beamed.

"That would be wonderful, Miss Cartwright."

"Please, allow me to escort you. I know many farm hands who'd love to covet a lady as fine as yourself." his son Henry stood and offered is arm, and Jesse took it, still blushing a this new found etiquette that made Ben so pleased with her, starting outside.

"Thankfully Charlie hasn't stable the horses yet." Jesse smiled, moving to the saddle bag, and removed the papers Mr. James needed. She turned and noticed Henry eyeing her lustily, seeming to linger on her every curve and shape.

She cleared her throat and blushed again, looking up to see Henry meeting her eyes.

"You are beautiful, Ms. Cartwright."

"Thank you, I..."

Suddenly Henry had her back against the was and was kissing her passionately. She stared at his face with wide eyes and felt his hands moving up and down her sides, and quickly pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!" she nearly yelled, and Henry's eyes lit up with anger as he covered her mouth and pushed her back against the wall again, leaning closer to her.

"Listen to me, Jesse Cartwright. This deal my father is offering could make the Ponderosa the biggest ranch in the territory of Nevada. If you speak ill of me to anyone, and if you refuse me, then my father will promptly withdraw his generous offer..."

She bit his hand as it covered his mouth, and Henry yelled and back-handed her. She stared, shocked and angry. She'd never allow him to treat her like this, and she punched him in the stomach. He gasped and stared, slowly standing up straight.

"Jesse, I will give you one last chance because I am a very forgiving young man. Now, you will take my arm and we will walk in and not speak a word of this t anyone. You will respect me."

She let out her breath and nodded slowly, taking his arm. She had t do this for her Pa, the deal was important, very important...

They sat down to dinner, and she hardly spoke before looking at Ben. No one seemed to notice her looks begging for help but Joe, and he nodded to her. Whatever she was afraid of, he'd keep her safe.

She was truly shaken to the core, though, and when they finished dinner and stood, she fainted.

Henry rushed over to her, leaning over her, and his hands almost touched her chest.

"Ms. Cartwright? Ms, Cartwright?" his manners had returned when they returned to the presence of his father.

The first thing Jesse saw when she awoke was Henry leaning over her, and she screamed.

"Get away from me you bastard!" she smacked him, instantly fearing for what had happened while she was unconscious, and her fear sent her into fighting...

"Jesse! Jesse, relax!" Adam yelled. But she was crazed with fear, and she scrambled to her feet and slugged Henry. "Go to hell you arrogant son of a bitch!"

Hoss held her back as she was fighting, and Mr. James grabbed his dazed son, who was bleeding from the nose.

"We'll be going, Mr. Cartwright..."

They ran out, leaving Jesse to dissolve into tears of fear when she saw the anger on Ben's face.

"Jessica Cartwright, what on earth has gotten into you!?"

"Pa, I can explain..."

"Jesse, there is no logical answer you can give me for that outburst just then!" he seized her by he arm and took her to the barn, not caring if she was in a dress, and switched her long and hard as she sobbed. It broke his heart, and he felt his heart constrict when he heard her cries, but he had no idea why she'd been so incredibly rude.

Finally he sent her up to her room, still crying, and sat down on the couch, paying for guidance on what to do with his daughter.

An hour later, there as a knock on the door. Their faithful hand, Charlie, entered, looking nervous.

"Mr. Cartwright, Sir, I seen somethin this night tha's been niggling in me mind, and I think I need ta tell it to ya."

Ben looked up, exhausted and tired.

"Can it wait until tomorrow, Charlie? It's been a rough night." Adam, Hoss, and Tom nodded their agreement, but Joe shook his head.

"Pa, Jesse wouldn't act like that without a reason."

Ben sighed. "Charlie, would you please excuse us? You can tell us in the morning."

"No sir!" Charlie said, voice not disrespectful, but urgent, and he took off his hat.

"It's about little Jesse. Well, I saw her out their with the saddle bags with that there boy ya had visiting, and he had this here look in his eye... I was itin for the, to finish by the barn so I could stable the hosses, you know, and suddenly he shoved her up against the wall an started kissin her! Well, I didn't know what to think, cause you know how young people are, an maybe she'd asked him to kiss her, but then his hands... Well, you know. He started moving then an it was clear she didn't like it when she shoved him away. He hit her an she hit him, an I was just goin to run and help her when they went back inside together. I knew ya had company, an I didn't want to interrupt ya, but I thought ya should know. I hope she's alright." Charlie shifted from one foot to another and rung his hat as though it was wet, looking nervous and uncomfortable.

Ben let out his breath in a rush and nodded. "Thank you, Charlie,you may go. I'll speak with Jesse about this..."

The door closed and Charlie left, and Adam let just his breath. Joe stared, looking pale. "No wonder she was so crazy when she woke up- Henry was standing so close to her! She must've been terrified!"

Ben stared. "And I switched her for it... Lord forgive me... Jesse! Jesse, I need to talk to you!" Ben raced upstairs and opened the door to her room without knocking. The curtains billowed in the wind, and he saw a note pinned to them in her sloppy handwriting.

Dear Pa,  
I'm sorry I ruined the deal, the Ponderosa will stay not the largest ranch in the territory. You have no idea how I feel, because I have no idea how I do myself. I understand how upset with me you are, and don't blame you for a thing you've done. I deserve it all and more. Though you probably won't believe me, I still love you and everyone, as well as the Ponderosa. But when you love something, you have to let it go. I'm leaving so the Ponderosa and the family can go on and get better. I still love you all, don't worry about me. I'll be far gone, so don't try and look for me- I took my gun, knife, some clothes, and a couple other things, and I'm sorry for robbing you of them. Though you probably don't want to call me daughter anymore, I had to at least leave this note to say goodbye.  
I love you all, Joe, Adam, Tom, Hoss, and you, Pa. That's why I have to go.  
Love,  
Jesse

Ben saw the tear stains on the paper from where she'd been crying and broke down himself. Adam raced up behind his Pa, brothers not far behind. His throat constricted when he saw the curtains rustling in he cold early September wind.

"Pa?" he asked fearing what the note said. The look on his Pa's face confirmed it, and tears fell down his own face as well, until they felt how empty the room was, the little girl who'd lived there and all the spunk and joy she'd brought suddenly gone, now leaving them to breath in the bitter emptiness of it all.

**Okay, I know it's alot of angst, but trust me, it's worth it when suddenly fate takes a twist- Jesse is NEVER leaving the story, and please don't worry, as she will come back to the cartwrights in due time- after some adventure! Plz R&R and I'll be motivated to post faster!**


	34. Thunder

**Okay, she's on her own for a bit now...**

She wished she'd taken a horse with her, but she hadn't and she sighed. The best thing for her now would be to get off Ponderosa land and try and make her way... She sighed. She missed Tom, but she was angry with Ben and the others... Just because she was angry, though, didn't mean she didn't love them. She needed time away, time to calm her raging temper and time for the Cartwrights to forgive her for ruining the deal.

She looked over to her right when she heard the noise. She was hiking through timber woods now, at the rate she was going, she'd be off Ponderosa land by dawn, and she could stop in town for a bit before she figured out her next move...

It would all be so much easier with a horse...

She looked to her right then and saw the wild horse Adam had warned her about, the beautiful white and brown skewbald, caught in some brambles. They branches were about a big as a dime in thickness, and she could already see numerous cuts bleeding on the poor horse...

The horse whickered to her, and she saw what he'd been trying to get to. A tree with red apples beckoned to him, and he'd tried to slip through the brambles rather than go around a rocky outcropping...

She plucked an apple and slowly started towards the horse, both hands offering the apple, and he delicately took it from her and crunched it, desperate eyes meeting hers.

"You don't belong anywhere either, do you?" she asked quietly.

The horse whickered again, pleading eyes seeming to beg for help, and slowly she approached him with another apple, reaching up to stroke is nose as he ate... She gently flicked open her knife, moving first to the bramble across the horse's nose and gently cutting it. The horse blinked and nuzzled her, happy for part of his freedom.

She spent a half hour freeing him, moving around to cut every single bramble and branch before he slowly worked his way out. She expected him to run as soon as he was free, and walked over to the apple tree, plucking a few apples and sitting down to eat one, knowing it was the only food she had.

The horse humbly approached her and started as well, working on plucking the crisp wild apples.

When there were no more he could reach, she swung up onto the branches and carefully picked them, holding them out for the horse to gently nuzzle from her hand. She finally got down, and the horse laid down as well.

She so wanted to get on his back and ride him, but she remembered how Adam would say it was crazy.

"I'll be seeing you then, horse." she tipped her hat and started to walk on, but the horse whickered to her and tossed his mane from where he lay.

"You want me to ride you?" she asked. The horse met her gaze, and slowly, she approached him, hoping against hope he did...

Slowly, she straddled his back. She had no saddle to put on him, but a rather soggy and worn bridle was still in his mouth, and she slowly took it as he stood. She gently prodded the horse with her heels and he started out at an easy trot, seemingly happy to carry her in whatever direction she was going.

* * *

"We should search the pastures first, she's a plains girl, Joe, you said she loves open spaces."

Joe nodded. "True, but she loves anywhere outside, Pa."

Adam sighed, knowing Joe was right. "Well, she's traveling on foot, she never took a horse, so she can't have gone that far. We never took her up by the mines, so she doesn't know how to navigate there, which leaves the woods and the pastures..."

"Unless she took the mountain pass to go back to the other valley where she lived in in the first place." Hoss piped up, and Tom shook his head. "She'd need more supplies than she cold carry on foot to make it across the mountain, and she only has a few bullets. Her goal now is probably to make it off Ponderosa land, and the fastest way out there is across the eastern pastures..."

"Let's go boys." Ben said, spurring Buck on and hoping he could find Jesse before the girl found trouble.

* * *

Jesse sighed with contentment as the horse carried her over another rise on the forest Path. She'd be in Virginia city before dawn, now, hopefully before Ben could alert Sheriff coffee, and she could buy some bullets with the money she'd made gambling and get out of town.

Ten dollars wasn't much, but it was enough to keep her going.

She'd purposely chosen the timber forests as her escape, since she'd known the boys would suspect her to get off the land in the pastures. She'd bought herself some time by taking the long way, since the boys wouldn't realize she wasn't in the pastures until it was too late.

Not to mention she had a horse, ow, she could move faster...

"I'm going to miss them, Horse." she said quietly. The horse pricked his ears back to listen to her, and she blinked back the tears of sadness and though of other things.

"I suppose I should name you, since I can't just keep calling you horse. I found you in the brambles by thunder creek... Thunder. How do you like Thunder?" the horse tossed his head and she smiled.

"You know, I've never seen a horse talk like you do, Thunder. Think of all the fun we'll have by ourselves..."

She remembered the time she'd spent roaming with Tom as they ran from Simon. Those were long, cold nights, where they often went hungry and were always afraid...

"I can take care of myself, don't you think, Thunder?"

The horse snorted.

"Hey, I'm smart. I mean, we'll find a stand of trees or something and live off the land until maybe Pa wants me back- if he ever does... I can go and find my real Pa! I bet he's in Texas still!" she was suddenly elated at the thought of finding her real Pa. He should've returned from the cattle drive weeks ago, and she had no idea where he was...

They were almost in Virginia city now, and she grinned.

"Think of how surprised he'll be to see me, Thunder! Hang on a second, I have to go and buy some things..."

She tied his reins to the hitching post and entered the general store, nodding to Matt, the owner.

She noticed Daniel leaning on the counter and felt a bit nervous- she'd have to really lie good now.

"What can I get you, Ms. Cartwright?" Matt asked, speaking to her.

"I need a box of bullets, a canteen, and a blanket. Can I get it all for around three dollars?"

"Sure can, Ms. Cartwright. Want me to put it on your Pa's tab? Where is Ben, anyways? He don't like you in town by yourself."

"No, sir, I'll pay for it in cash. Pa's out settling some business affairs, if that's what you mean."

She paid for the items and dropped them in her satchel before Daniel spoke to her.

"Jesse, that isn't your horse out there. Why are you trying to run away?"

She sighed. Daniel could always read her like an open book, and her lies wouldn't work on him.

"Leave me alone, Daniel."

"Jesse..."

"Goodbye, Daniel Rucker." she almost whispered, before racing outside and jumping onto Thunder. She kicked him into a gallop and raced out of town, sighing as she started along her route on a dirt road through the various woods. She knew eventually they'd come across a place to rest.

She found a pond and filled her canteen, placing it in her satchel with the apples, bullets, and knife before settling down to drink beside Thunder.

She heard hooves, and jumped beside Thunder, staying hidden in the bushes. She'd heard of a ranch slightly up north, but the road was free to use...

Two rough men on horseback rode up, leading five steer ahead of them. It was obvious they were cattle rustlers, and none to bright, either.

"Come on Frank, I'm tired. Let's just take a break. They ain't going to figure out where we went that fast."

She silently led Thunder away from the men before mounting again and racing up the hill until she saw a ranch house.

She left Thunder outside and walked up the porch, knocking on the door and shuffling her feet. She knew how pesky cattle rustlers were, and the men were no doubt already looking for the missing steer...

A lady answered the door in a plum colored work dress, and Jesse offered her a wane smile. The woman looked relaxed to see it was just Jesse.

"Excuse me Ma'm, but is your husband around?"

"Right here!" she turned to see a friendly looking fellow with worry lines on his face approaching form the barn. "How can I help ya, Missy?"

"You had any cattle rustled away lately, sir?"

The man's smile dimmed. "Yup, why, you find any?"

"Them rustlers are about a mile away, down by a little pond. They're resting, I think, can lead you to them if ya like."

The man nodded and jumped onto his horse.

"Boys, we found em!" he yelled. A moment later two boys, about Little Joe's age, rode up and smiled as well. She felt a pang at the thought of little Joe, but started riding Thunder down towards the place anyways.

"My hand already rode out to get the Sheriff..."

"Sheriff Roy Coffee?"

The man nodded. "Yep. You know him?"

She nodded, and the man's forehead creased with worry.

"You ain't in trouble, are ya, Missy? I don't want ta be nosy, but what's a kid like you doing out here alone? I mean, you can't be more than eleven years old."

"I'm thirteen, Sir, and my Pa and I had a fight. I don't want ta talk about that much."

The man nodded. They'd neared the pond now, and they lapsed into silence. Then men slowly came up n the men from behind, surrounding them...

"Drop your guns!" One boy fired off a shot, and the men both started awake, looking shocked.

The rustlers each grabbed up their guns, but they were well hidden in the trees, and the rustlers didn't know where to shoot.

The cattle were spooked by the shots and raced away into the woods, and the men ran for their horses, but the other boy had already grabbed the reins.

The man sighed. "Awe heck Tommy, drop yer gun."

A few minutes later they reached the house, and Jesse noticed Sheriff Coffee waiting.

"Well if it ain't Jesse Cartwright. Yer Pa's been looking all over for you, girl."

She didn't want to listen to another word of it, and she wheeled Thunder around and galloped off, still heading towards wherever she hoped to go.

**3 more reviews and I'll post again!**


	35. Near Heartbreak

"Pa! Pa! Sheriff Roy met me in town... they found a body..." Tom was wild eyed and terrified looking.

Hop Sing dropped the dish he was carrying, and it shattered on the floor. Ben stood, looking more like an old man than he had in awhile.

"Let's go, boys." his voice was barely above a whisper.

The girl certainly did look like Jesse, and Adam knelt grimly in front of the body. Tears spilled down his cheeks, and suddenly Daniel rode up. He jumped off him horse and ran over to the body, pulling off her boots and laughing.

Adam socked Daniel, and he fell back. Adam loomed over him like an angry grizzly.

"What the Hell are you laughing about!?" he demanded.

Daniel jumped to his feet and seized Adam's shoulders. "It isn't her! I gave her a pistol for her birthday, she kept it in her boot, it isn't there! She has a scar on her left arm from falling out of a tree when she was littler, and it isn't there! She has eyes, somedays they look green, some blue! The eyes are brown! She's alive, Adam, she's alive!"

Looking more closely at the body, Adam noticed the open eyes were brown, not blue, and he turned to his Pa, who was crying as well.

"It's not her, Pa." he said, and he realized they were all crying from sheer relief.


	36. Stable Girl

Ben stared. "And you're sure you found her by the Gabriel ranch?" he asked, shocked. Daniel had already told him about the encounter with her at the store, and how he couldn't catch her on the incredibly fast horse...

"Dead sure. She led them to them rustlers mighty quick, but when she saw me she hightailed it away. I couldn't rightly go and catch her, since my horse was already tired and I had criminals to deal with..."

Ben nodded. "Which direction did she ride off in?"

"I don't know, Ben, I only saw her ride out of sight in the trees. That horse she's on is pretty fast, and she probably changed direction a dozen times to throw you off her trail."

"Like she did this morning." Hoss said, remembering way she'd tricked them into thinking she was going by the pastures.

"Where did she get the horse, though?" Adam asked, confused. "Daniel said he saw her on a horse as well, a white and brown skewbald..."

"You saying she might be a horse thief, Adam? Cause you know we could have her arrested for that."

Adam shook his head. "No, that's not what I'm saying, Roy. I'm saying she got a horse before she left the Ponderosa, and all our horses are in the stalls..."

"What about the wild horse that keeps roaming about here? The one you almost killed?" Joe as quietly.

They were all silent for a moment, and Adam shook his head. "There's no way she could ride that thing, let alone get within twenty feet of it."

"Well there's no way she'd steal a horse, either!" Joe shot back. "Look, it's a little coincidental, isn't it? She runs away with a skewbald horse, and our hands haven't seen that horse all day. From what Daniel said, it has to be the same horse. I mean, it was bareback and had that old bridle it's been running around with, and Roy says that horse is bareback, with only a bridle. If she won it in a bet, it'd have a sadle, and she didn't have time to bet in town, anyways. Make sense, Adam? Quit underestimating her. I mean, she's already thrown us off the trail twice."

Ben sighed. "If she has a horse, she'll be a lot harder to catch."

Roy nodded. "Why's she running, anyways? I mean, she seemed like such a happy kid."

Ben ran his hand through his hair and explained the situation. "And the worst part is, I think Henry lied to her. She said now that the deal fell through, the Ponderosa won't be the biggest ranch in the territory... It was an important deal, but it won't make us the biggest ranch in the territory. She honestly thinks she's helping us by running away."

"But where is she going?" Roy asked, looking interested.

Joe sighed. "We don't know."

* * *

She drank once more at the pond, hurriedly, before mounting Thunder and galloping down the road. It was dry, and fall was coming, thankfully, so the ground wasn't muddy. She ate an apple as she rode, offering one to Thunder during their brief moments of rest.

They rode on through the night, until she saw lights in the distance and smiled. Carson City. With so many people, it would be easy to hide here.

There was no way she was renting a hotel room, and she found a corner in a park and curled up under some bushes, tying up Thunder on the hitching post and letting him graze on the grass, waking up with some freezing dew on her blanket. It was getting cooler, autumn was coming.

Still, she was cold and hungry, and she ate one of her apples, leaving two remaining. She was still starving, and she only had seven dollars left. Enough to bet with, she supposed, if any men would take her seriously. What she needed was a steady job and housing...

She sighed and walked past the nearest stable, seeing the help wanted sign and stepping in. The man at the desk looked up, interested. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I'm lookin for a job. You need help here, the sign said."

The man chuckled. "Yes, a stable boy, not a girl looking for an easy job."

"Look, I can work as hard as any boy. Give me a chance, at least."

The man sighed. "Fine. But as soon a you decide it's too hard you leave, understood?"

"Perfectly. What do you want me to do? Muck the stalls or polish the tacks? Or I can groom."

The man looked slightly surprised. "Muck out the stalls. All of them."

She nodded and grabbed a pitchfork, going and cleaning the stalls before giving the horses fresh hay and oats, marking down how much each horse took in the ledger to be charged to the owners. She polished the tacks and finally, it was growing dark. Just then a man entered.

"Eli, find the stable boy?" he asked.

The man nodded to her. "She's determined to get the job. She did everything today, go and check it over, boss."

The man carefully inspected her work before finally nodding to her.

"Where are you from, girl?" he finally asked.

"From around Virginia city. I lived on a ranch for awhile."

The man nodded. "You got the job. Twenty-five dollars a month, and home cooked meals from my wife. Are you interested?"

"How about five dollars a month and room and board for my horse and I. I'll sleep in the barn with him, I don't mind."

The man looked at her. "You sure, kid?"

"Yessir. I can't guarantee that I'll be around for a long time, so weekly pay, I figure."

The man nodded "Sounds fair, girl. Bring this horse of yours in, I want to see it."

She nodded and out on her had striding outside to go and fetch Thunder. She rode him in, and the man whistled, impressed.

"Quite a fine beast, but he looks exhausted."

She nodded. "We've been riding for awhile, is all." she gently grabbed the grooming kit and brushed Thunder down before picking the dirt and pebbles from his hooves and giving him fresh hay and oats. He took a long drink of water before settling down for the night, and She felt tired just looking at the horse.

"Girl, why not come stay in the house with my wife and me? I won't charge ya none, I promise..."

"No sir. I don't like to stay without paying rent." she said, eating an apple and giving the core to Thunder. The horse laid down to sleep, which was unusual, and she curled against her horse with the blanket before falling asleep.

* * *

"George, thanks for putting us up on such short notice." Ben said, it was a week later, and they were scouring Carson City for Jesse when they entered the stable.

"Not a problem, Ben. You're an old friend, after all." George replied. "You'll probably run into our stable girl, though..."

"Stable girl?" Adam asked, raising his eyebrows.

George nodded. "She came by looking for the job a week ago. I paid her yesterday, in fact. Been trying to get her to come sleep in the house, but she keeps saying she doesn't like to take what she hasn't earned. Say, what are all those posters for, Ben?"

Adam grabbed a poster and showed George the picture. "This your stable girl?" he asked. He'd thought George's description of the stable girl sounded a lot like her.

George nodded. "Yeah, that's her. She's your daughter, Ben?"

Ben nodded. "Where is she now?" he demanded, getting excited.

"She went out for a ride. I have a feeling she's gone off gambling, she seems to have some spunk, and I gave her the rest of the day off..."

Ben nodded to Adam. "We'll wait for her here. Thanks, George."

"No problem, Ben."

* * *

"You can't win, gal! You're cheatin'!" One man yelled, after she'd won ten dollars.

"I won fair and square, Mister!" he landed a punch on her face and soon she was bleeding and beaten, barely managing to stagger outside onto Thunder. Her ribs were on fire, nose bleeding, face swelling...

She groaned quietly and heard the man yell after her. "If I see ya again, I'll kill ya!"

She dug her heels into Thunder before turning him down the road, everything hazy from pain. She had brought her satchel with her, and she knew she wasn't returning to the stable. It was time to move on.

* * *

They'd waited until early morning, and she didn't return. "You don't think she found out we were waiting, do you, Pa?" Adam asked.

Ben sighed. "I don't know, but it's clear she isn't coming back, Come in, let's put up some posters and search around a bit. If she's still in the city, she's bound to turn up."

* * *

Jesse slumped forward on Thunder, barely conscious anymore. She was exhausted, bruised, and hungry, and Thunder had no idea where to find help for his injured rider.

Suddenly the horse's ears picked up music in the distance along the road, in the dawn, and he trotted towards it, moving slowly to try and keep a limp Jesse on his back.

The horse saw the brightly colored dresses jut as Jesse fell off his back, into the dirt. He neighed frantically, pawing the ground, and all eyes turned to him. Soon there were eyes turned towards him, and people rushed over to help, taking Jesse into a small wagon. The men tried to take the horse as well, but Thunder refused, keeping his distance and waiting for his rider to recover.

**As you guys read, Ben's anger is abating to concern that his little girl's bitten off far more than she can chew. 5 reviews and I'll updste!**


	37. Gypsys and Tears

Jesse groaned and slowly came too. The exhaustion of the long nights and worry, ontop of all the work she was doing and little food, had taken it's toll, and the beating had sent her over the edge. She felt a wet cloth on her face, a soothing female voice...

She groaned. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

She heard the thickly accented but calming female voice reply to her.

"You fell off ze horse, and we found you."

She groaned again, struggling to sit up.

"Be still. You're still weak. Come, eat." One woman spooned warm broth into her mouth, and gradually she looked around to see she was surrounded by gypsies and looked from face to face.

The warm broth was good, and it reminded her of Adam, the way they caressed her hair to soothe her and fed her quietly.

"Where are we?" she asked quietly.

"On the way to Carson city. Only a few days journey away. You are filthy, child." she quietly wiped away at the grime on her face with a wet cloth. "Would you like a bath?"

She nodded quietly, and the woman laughed. "You are lucky, tonight we have stopped by a spring. Beti, come, help me with her!"

She managed to stand by herself and trekked with the other women down to the pond, bathing in the water quietly as she and the other girls undressed. It was like a large family, and suddenly the girls began to splash. There was screaming and laughing, and she had to join in.

Soon she was playing around with the other girls, and she smiled. The older women who stood waiting for them on the banks finally called, and they hung blankets on the trees and dressed. A woman handed her some underthings and a pink and yellow ruffled dress. The skirt was short enough to run in, and the woman smiled as she swirled it around, finding the vibrantly colored material wonderfully light.

"Come, we must talk." the girl called Beti led her away, and they sat in the shade of some trees and talked.

"Where are you from?" Beti asked.

Jesse sighed. "No where, I suppose. I'm a drifter."

Beti laughed. "You are a gypsy already, then. My papa thought you were a gunslinger, with the pistol you carried."

Jesse shook her head and blushed, listening to all the other questions the girls had and answering what she could. They skipped rocks on the pond and finally returned to help their mothers cook dinner.

"Can you cook as well as you can sling a gun, little girl?" Beti's father joked, and Jesse grinned.

"I can make gumbo, sir."

"Call me Marinzo, please. And I'd like to taste this gumbo." she laughed and her skirt swished as she hurried to start cooking it, serving it in a metal bowl to him. Marinzo tasted a spoonful and smiled.

"Ahh! I haven't had something so exotic since I left New Orleans! Ryan, Maul, Kerizzo, come, taste this!"

She blushed. She'd never felt so needed since she'd left the Ponderosa, and even then, she was the youngest, always needing to be watched over and looked out for...

She felt a pang at remembering the ponderosa, and the wind sent the fabric on her dress rippling... She looked down at the bright colors as her eyes blurred with tears and wondered if Ben would be angry at her- what he'd think of the dress, of the people where they'd found her... She wiped a hand across her eyes to hide the moisture their before turning back around and forcing a smile.

That night around the fires there was music and storytelling, and Marinzo finally spoke.

"Now, as you all know, we have a new girl here- her horse is, in fact, still circling around our camp..."

When she heard this, Jesse stood. "Thunder! Thunder, come here, boy!"

Thunder, relieved to hear his mistress's voice calling to him once again, happily trotted over. He nuzzled her face for a moment,and she stroked his mane before returning to the fire.

"Now, girl, what is your name?" he asked.

Jesse shrugged, realizing she'd never told these strangers anything. "I'm whatever you like to call me, but I was called Jackrabbit by my family..." she felt another pang, but the homesickness was becoming bearable, now.

Marinzo smiled. "Alright, Jackrabbit. Where is your family now?"

She shrugged. "Around Lake Tahoe. I'm not their family anymore, though."

Marinzo's smile faded. "You are alone? In this rough country?"

She nodded. "I was looking for my real father, but I'll never make it to Texas..."

Marinzo placed a hard on her shoulder. "Would you like to join my family, wandering Jackrabbit?"

She was stunned. "You'd really do that?"

"Of course I would. But first, I ask that you make certain your family doesn't want you. We are headed to San Francisco to meet family, and you can stay with us as long as you like."

She nodded slowly, thinking it over.

"I'll tell you what, I'll stay for a little while, at lease. When we camp around Lake Tahoe, I have to visit someone, and they might want to keep me..."

Marinzo nodded. "Alright, no trouble at all... Come, now, get your violin, boys!"

She was used to dancing the Virginia Reel and other dances. Se knew an indian war dance, but she'd never seen the exotic, wild dancing Beti and the other gypsy girl were doing.

"Come, just move at the music calls you!" Beti cried, dragging her out with the other dancers as a tambourine played.

Soon she was moving around with the other dancers, moving as the music called, flowing slowly, kneeling when they did and whirling... Oh, if only Joe could see how these ladies danced!

And for once, she didn't feel that painful homesickness, because the Gypsies were heading through Virginia city and b the Ponderosa, and she could stop in and maybe see if Ben had forgiven her- she hoped in her heart he did.

Finally, they settled down to bed in the caravans, while the adults remained outside, talking.

They laid down on the bedrools and whispered, giggling together, and finally Beti burst out, "Catarina, it is so good to have you once again!"

"Catarina?" Jesse asked, confused.

Beti's face fell and she started to weep, suddenly.

"Beti? Who is Catarina?" she asked, holding her friend as she cried. Finally, Beti spoke.

"Catarina was my younger sister. She died of the fever only a week ago, and- oh, you look so much like her! You are a fire, the temper you have, and the way you are with the horses! You remind everyone of her! I wish I could have her back!" Beti fell to crying once again.

"I know how you feel." She murmured, stroking Beti's hair as she cried. Beti looked up with a tear-soaked face.

"You do?"

Jesse nodded. She focused on the wall, so far away... "I... I had a family once... But then I was left alone. I would give anything to have them back."

She and Beti fell asleep holding one another, crying in their sleep.

When Jesse woke up, she could smell food cooking, and ate the bacon and beams she was given before mounting onto Thunder. She still preferred riding on a horse rather than riding and being jolted about in the Gypsy house-wagons that jolted along behind the horses... She'd rather scout ahead than look behind. She could always ride back to the Ponderosa on Thunder and find the Cartwrights on her own, but if Ben was mad at her, then she'd have nowhere else to go... besides, there was safety in numbers, and if she remained with Beti, she could ease their greif for awhile...

* * *

Ben started awake as he sat in the blue chair, looking around. He'd been sleeping there ever since Jesse had left, praying she'd come home...

"She's not here, Pa." Adam said quietly. Ben could see the growing concern on his son's face.

They lapsed into silence. Breakfast wasn't until another few minutes, and Ben turned when he hear the small voice behind him.

"Pa?"

"Yes Hoss?" Ben asked, looking back to see all his other sons standing behind him. No one in the Cartwright household had been sleeping well since Jesse had left...

"What if something happened to her in Carson City?" Hoss asked quietly, and Ben could hear his voice crack. "What if she's dead?"

"That wouldn't happen!" Joe yelled with such conviction they all stared. Joe, small as he was, pushed Hoss against the wall and stared him down, brown eyes afire...

"My Ma's dead! So is your ma and Adam's Ma! They'll keep her safe, and don't you ever doubt that!"

Joe's chest was heaving, and suddenly he realized what he was doing. He turned and ran outside, mounting Cochiese and riding off. Adam stood to go after him, but Ben shook his head.

"Let him go, son. He'll be back."

Joe rode as fast as he possibly could, jumping off Cochiese and kneeling infront of his mother's grave, starting to cry.

"Mama... Mama, you have to watch out for her... Keep her safe, please, Mama, when that little girl left she took my heart with her..." he cried until he was out of tears, and finally shakily stood and wiped his eyes, washing his face in the waters of Lake Tahoe before starting his chores, feeling hollow and alone.

**Okay, so I wanted to show ow the Cartwrights are reacting t her absence. Hope you like!**


	38. The Homecoming

**Okay, so I'm going to my cabin this weekend and I won't be uodating until probably Sunday night or Monday morning, but I wanted to get this out their, so enjoy! Also, at least 5 reviews plz! :)**

She was daydreaming as she rode along the gypsy caravan. Marinzo had said she could say with him as long as she wanted to, and she figured she'd stay with them until they reached Carson City, then go back to the Ponderosa and try and talk to Ben. If they rejected her, then she'd return to the gypsies, who'd no doubt be camping there for a few days. But if they did want her back...

They stopped and started to make camp, but she still sat upon Thunder, daydreaming of her homecoming...

She was pulled from her thoughts by the scream of a horse. A boyof about nine had been riding along as well, and his horse reared, frightened by something. Surprisingly, the boy kept his seat, but the horse raced off at break-neck speed, the boy unable to control it...

Women cried out as they saw the tragedy in the making, and Jesse kicked Thunder into a pace to rival that of the terrified horse. She'd seen Adam do this once, when a lady's horse had gotten out of control in town, but never done it herself.

She pulled Thunder up beside the galloping horse. Each horse was goign at a great speed, but Thunder seemed to be completely in control while the other horse was blinded by terror.

She saw the terror on the boyish face as he stared at her- curls framing the face- oh, he looked so much like Joe...

She swallowed, pulling herself back to the present moment and extending her hand to the frightened boy.

"Jump!" she yelled over the thundering hooves. If he fell by now he'd surely die, but he was already losing his seat as the saddle came loose.

He didn't move, so great was his terror, and she guided Thunder closer to the horse, so close their flanks were almost touching. Thunder eyed her nervously as she held the reins with one hand and reached for the boy with the other. The saddle was already sliding, and she succeeded in wrapping her arms around the boy's shoulders and plucking him from the horse, awkwardly setting him in front of her on Thunder.

Thunder, knowing the job was done, raced back to camp, and the boy was grabbed by Marinzo and cradled for a moment.

"My son, I thought I'd lost you." he said, eyes wet.

Jesse turned Thunder, and an older boy caught her arm. "Where are you going? You're a hero, you know that, do you not?"

She nodded, wishing she had her cowboy hat to shield her from the sun. "Got to go get the horse before it stumbles, or it'll break it's neck."

She gently took her arm from the boy's grasp and slapped Thunder's rump.

"Hyah! Come on boy, Hyah!" Thunder obeyed her and she raced forward again, towards the shape of the still terrified horse on the horizon. She cut in front of him and he turned, and she let Thunder drive him back towards camp.

Finally, when they were close enough, she let Thunder come up even with he horse, then pass him, standing right in his way.

"Up boy!" she pulled back fiercely on the reins and Thunder reared, the massive stallion on two legs in the other horse's path. The horse skidded to a stop as Thunder replaced his feet on the ground, and she caught ahold of the other horse's reins and led him back to camp.

Marinzo and the others had watched n awe as she not only rescued the boy, but kept her seat when her horse reared to catch the frantic horse.

She handed the reins to a waiting boy and dismounted Thunder, who was frothing at the mouth from the exhausting run, which was beyond the limit of most horses, She fetched him a pail of water a d let him drink, pulling off the saddle and drying his sweaty coat. Ben's words still echoed in her mind- If you take care of your horse, it will take care of you.

She smiled slightly as she finished toweling him and combed the dirt and dust from his back. If it got caught under the saddle it would chafe, and he'd end up with sores and be unridable...

She combed him down as well, using her knife as a make-shift hoof pick to get out the pebbles and other offending objects before giving him a few pats and removing his bit and bridle, letting him roam. He was tired enough hat he wouldn't wander out of sit, and besides, that horse never left her when he could help it, following her like a dog.

She had no sooner than joined the others by the fire when Marinzo spoke.

"How did you learn to ride horses so, Jackrabbit? You saved my son's life." Beti nodded and smiled, sitting close to her brother, now.

Jesse shrugged and took a bite of the thick stew she was given. "I was born a cowgirl." was all she said, before settling down inside the Caravan with Beti and her little brother. Tomorrow the reached Carson city. It started to snow. Winter was coming early this year. But one thought crossed her mind only as she dreamed. Tomorrow she was going home.

* * *

"Now, it's just like we planned, Harley. Wait until they're eating dinner. Ben's a family man, he'll have them all at the able, and they won't be wearin their gun belts. If we pull a gun on one of 'em, the others won't move. They're all so attached to one another- not good to be attached out here."

The other man nodded, and they waited until dinner came before they kicked open the door. Just as they'd expected, they were all seated at the dinner table. Without their gun belts on.

"Freeze!" ordered one, putting a gun to Joe's head, since he was closest, and pulled him from the chair. "Hands behind your back, all of you. Anyone moves, he dies." he said, indicating Joe.

Soon their hands were bound. Hop Sing crept in with a frying pan, but the man hit him over the head with his gun so hard he crumpled to the floor, unconscious, and he was tied up as well.

"Now Cartwright, we're going to talk about opening up the safe." the larger man said, a malicious smile on his face. Ben nodded. He'd do whatever was necessary to save his sons.

* * *

Jesse rode into the yard after supper time. Hop Sing would n doubt be clearing te table, Joe and Hoss playing checkers, Adam reading in his chair, occasionally looking up to watch his brother's antics as the checker game played out, Tom waiting to play the winner of the checker game, and Pa smoking his pipe as he sat in his blue chair by the fire, watching everyone as well.

She could imagine the smaller wooden rocking chair she loved sitting in it's place. She dreamed up so many ideas in hat chair, scrawling them down in notebooks. Adam would occasionally come t peer over her shoulder, point out some flaws in her designs, and overall try to help in the way Adam did... Oh, she wished those days could come again.

She was cold and tired from the day long ride from Carson City, but she pulled Thunder up short when she saw the two strange horses tied to the tree hidden behind the barn. She dismounted and slowly crawled across the snow, knees protesting as she still wore her gypsy dress, but peering in the window anyways.

Her heart jumped to her throat and she ducked down again. Pa, Adam, Hoss, Joe, and Tom all tied up with two strangers holding guns...

She had gotten her gun belt from Marinzo before they said their final goodbyes, but she couldn't just walk in and pull her gun... she hid a knife in the bunched up dress skirt, so it would be concealed in her hand when really she appeared to be lifting her skirt so she could walk easier...

Surprise was a weapon. Love was a weapon- for once se had found a use for all the proverbs Adam had that seemed completely irrelevant at times... She opened the door and entered.

Everyone turned to stare at her, and the big man grinned and whistled, sliding his gun into his holster. He had two guns, she noted, one on each hip...

"And who might you be, sweetheart?" he asked, taking a step towards her, she allowed herself to blush and step forward.

"A friend of Little Joe's. I see he has some competition, now." she stepped closer to him, letting the knife slither soundlessly onto the floor in front of her and stepping to let her skirt cover it.

"You got any sugar to spare?" she asked, stepping forward again and kicking the knife so it slid across the floor and landed at Joe's feet. Joe bent to pick it up, surprised she cheesy pick up line she'd learned from him had worked and slightly disgusted that she was about to kiss this robber to save them...

The man leaned in to kiss her and she reached both hands around his waist and drew his guns, pointing one at each man.

"You, drop your gun with the offside hand." she ordered the man who still had a gun.

"You, up against the wall, hands where I can see 'em." she ordered the man whose gun's she'd taken. She laughed at the shocked look on his face. "That's right boys, I play for keeps."

Hoss was already free of his bonds, along with Joe, when suddenly the second man drew a gun on Adam.

"Drop yer gun gal, or he dies." he ordered. Jesse reluctantly obeyed, and the man retrieved his guns and smiled.

"Stupid gal thought she could get the best of me..." he backhanded her and she staggered and ended up on the floor, blood pouring from her nose.

The man motioned to his friend. "Shoot em, Herm, teach the girl what happens when she thinks she can win."

"Don't!" Jesse pleaded. Adam, who was obviously the first to be shot, seemed eerily calm. The man aimed for Adam's chest...

Two shots rang out and both men cried out in pain. The pistol fell from the one man's hand in a blur, and the other man clutched his wounded shoulder, dropping a gun, and they raced outside, where a posse was already waiting for them.

Everyone looked down to see Jesse had drawn Daniel's little silver pistol to shot the one man in the hand ad the other in the shoulder. They were all in shocked silence for a moment until Little Joe cut Ben's bonds.

"Papa!" she dropped the pistol on the floor, forgetting it as she threw herself at Ben, hugging him tightly.

Ben grinned, slightly relieved. He had no idea how he was going to get her to forgive him, but right here was a start.

Finally, she grew tired of hugging and squirmed, backing away, where Adam had snuck up behind her and put her in a bear hug.

She squealed with delight and squirmed.

"Hey, I want my hug Adam." Hoss said, pretending to be impatient as he put his hands on his hips.

"Well you'll just have to wait. Isn't that right, Jesse?" Adam replied, and she grinned, still trying to break free of her brother's embrace.

"My turn." Joe swooped in and plucked her from Adam's hug so fast he didn't have time to react, hugging her tightly and no letting her feet touch the ground.

"Where ya been, Jesse? We all missed you." Joe informed her.

"Dadburnit, Joe, she's been gone for two weeks, now I want my hug!"

"Wait a minute, would ya, Hoss?" Joe asked, shooting his brother a look.

"No, I won't wait." Hoss said, hugging Joe, who was till holding Jesse. Jesse giggled. She'd always thought of Hoss like a great big Teddy bear, and theory was proven now.

"Tom!" finally she hugged Tom, who rustled her hair.

"Pa would tan yer hide if he were here now." he said playfully, not meaning Ben, but their real Pa.

"Come on, let's sot down." Ben motioned for them to go, and they all took their places by the heart, Jesse feeling safe once again in the rocking chair...

"Now, where on earth did you get that dress?" Adam asked, indicating the bright pink skirt and yellow top of the gypsy dress.

She blushed. "I met some gypsies..."

"Now hold on, hold on." Ben said, putting up a hand. "Let's start from the beginning now, shall we?"

She nodded and began with taming Thunder, then riding out of town and turning in the cattle rustlers, and then finding the job in Carson city.

"We were waiting for you at the stable on Friday night, but you never came back. Why?" Ben asked, curious.

"I got lucky at cards that night, and a drunk didn't like that too much. He beat me up and I decided it was time to move on. I must've passed out on Thunder, because when I woke up I was surrounded by gypsies."

Everyone was on the edge of their seats now, waiting to hear more.

"They were friendly. A man named Marinzo offered to let me ride with his family. I was friends with his daughter, Beti. I found out he'd lost a daughter a week prior to my arrival from the fever, and that I resembled her. He name was Catarina."

"Hop Sing bring broth!" Hop Sing announced, briniging Jesse a steaming mug of it.

"How Missy been eating since gone?" he asked.

"Well, fine, actually. I picked apples along the rail and I had enough money for a restaurant now and then, or a meal in the saloon..." she noticed the hurt look creeping onto Hop Sing's face. "But none of it was as good as your food, Hop Sing. All the time I was there, I thought, if Hop Sin had made this, it would be a lot better."

Hop Sing beamed. "Vely good, Hop Sing glad Missy Cartwright back. She scare everyone, running away."

"I'm glad to be home, Hop- ow!" Hop Sing wacked her hand with his wooden spoon.

"That is for making Hop Sing worry." Hop Sing said, before heading back to the kitchen. Jesse looked up to see her family laughing at her.

"Hop Sing always did the same thing to me when I was younger." Joe said, and they continued laughing.

"Oh, and Jesse, there's more where that came from in the morning. You made us all worried." Ben said, and she nodded, knowing she was going to get the tanning of a lifetime.  
"Yes Pa."

"But go on, tell the story now, we might as well have a good time."

She nodded and continued all the way through, about saving Marinzo's son from the horse and reaching Carson City and the long day's ride back here to find the men with everyone tied up.

"And you watched the rest of it unfold." she finished.

Ben nodded, realizing it was half past ten.

"Well, it certainly is getting late, say goodnight everyone." Ben said.

"Goodnight." they all replied, and she and Joe raced one another upstairs, while the others followed behind, shaking their heads at the childishness of it all but smiling.

Jesse undressed, so glad to be in a familiar place, in a familiar room, with a familiar bed, in a house filled with love, she couldn't have been happier. As she settled herself under the covers and waited for Ben to come tuck her in, she noticed Adam must've rigged a homemade lock on her window, seeing as there was no way she could open it herself now. Probably so she wouldn't run away again.

She shook her head as she nuzzled deeper into the blankets- silly Adam- there was no place she wanted to be except the Ponderosa.


	39. Restriction

Okay, I looked at my reviews and you guys were right, Ben was really taking it too far, an I'm revising those chapters to make it more realistic.

As for those who wonder why Ben hasn't made her act like a lady yet, I think it's because she came to the ranch masquerading as a boy in the first place, and he's still trying to figure out how to raise a little girl. I'm going to try changing it up a bit, so give me some time. I just got a new idea. The next chapter will be up by Wednesday


	40. Be a Lady Part 1

**Okay, got this chapter done earlier han I expected. I start work on he blueberry feilds tomorrow, so cut me a little slack in update time, and please R&R. Sorry ifthe last chapter before this was horrible, I didn't know how Ben wold disipline her besides violence, but then I got a ton of ideas! Tell me what you think, and plz, follow or fav!**

She woke up to the smell of Hop Sing's Johnnycakes and grinned, remembering she was home. Suddenly she remembered Ben was going to give her the tanning of her life today and sighed, getting up and dressed. She might as well get it her with, but her bottom tinged at the thought of being switched...

"Hey Jackrabbit." Joe ruffled her hair when she sat down in her usual place beside him, trying to raise her obviously low spirits. She was getting the first real tanning she ever had today, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Cheer up. I got so many tannings when I was a kid, I got a remedy for it. Don't you worry. We'll go up to that cold spring and you can just soak in it, your butt will be numb in minutes..." Joe whispered, trying to make her happy again, and she rewarded him with a wane smile.

Ben sat down to his breakfast and nodded to Jesse.

"Jesse, you're on restriction for a month after I see you in the barn. But you're on restriction with Adam. I don't want you out of his sight for the next month, unless you're in the house, understand?"

"Pardon?" both Jesse and Adam asked in unison, staring.

Jesse stared, wide eyed. "Pa, please, no, Adam's so boring, can't you give me a few more tannings instead?"

"Sorry, Jesse, but no." Ben tried to hide the smile that was tugging at the corner of his lips by her reaction. She acted as though he'd sentenced her to hang...

"Pa, what did I do to deserve this?" Adam asked, looking just as unhappy as Jesse was. He loved his sister, but she was headstrong and reckless, like a female Little Joe, and there was no way he wanted to be responsible for her for a month.

"Well, you were the one who said she should be disciplined severely when she returned, so I intend to follow your advice. Jesse, are you finished with breakfast? You didn't eat very much."

"Sorry, Pa, I wasn't very hungry. I'll be waiting in the barn." she didn't meet her father's eyes, and slowly stood to wait for her first tanning.

Ben took the switch to her, but didn't administer the tanning he thought she deserved, instead stopping.

"Standup, Jesse."

"Yes Papa." she looked surprised it was over so soon.

"Now, I haven't given you the tanning I would to Joe or Hoss, because you're my daughter and much smaller. Instead, you'll be mucking out the stalls for two weeks, and I expect you to start going to Sunday school and begin singing in the church choir..."

Her face showed her displeasure, but she bit her lip and nodded. Ben knew switching her had been menial compared with what he was asking her to do now.

"I also expect you to start wearing a dress. I want you to calm down and quit being so wild. Are we understood?"

"Yes, Pa." he could see the pain in her eyes, not from he switching, he honestly hadn't switched her that badly, but from what he was asking her to do. "I'll go change now."

"And Jesse, if you're wearing a dress, I expect you to ride sidesaddle."

"Yes Pa." she turned and scampered to the house, running upstairs so they wouldn't see her tears. She pulled on a plain blue gingham dress the color of the sky and slipped outside to start mucking the stalls. How was she going to race around on Thunder when she was riding side saddle?

She felt like Ben wasn't asking her to be more ladylike, but more give up her personality. Tears stung her eyes, but she didn't let them fall, only kept at work. Her Pa didn't want her to be his wild jackrabbit anymore. She finally finished mucking out he stalls and sat nearly silent at dinner, answering questions and trying to force the occasional smile so no one would think she was sulking before hurrying upstairs.

She changed into her nightgown, realizing church choir practice was tomorrow and crying quietly into her pillow. Se didn't want to be a lady. She never waned to grow up, wanted to be the tom boy she was, but Ben had asked her to do this as punishment, and so she would.

She heard a light knock at the door and hurriedly tried to dry her tears, telling whoever it was to come in. When she saw it was Tom, she knew trying to hide any feelings was useless, as he already knew, and as the door fell closed behind him she threw herself at her older brother, crying her eyes out.

"Shh, Jackrabbit, shh... You'd have had to grow up sometime." he soothed.

"But why do I have ta be a lady?" she asked. "Yiu let me dress like a boy we ran from Simon..."

"That was for your own safety, I knew if we encountered any rough men and they saw you were a girl you wouldn't be safe. Just cuz you're a girl doesn't mean you can't have any fun."

"I gotta ride sidesaddle, Tom!"

"Ma was a good lady, and she managed to have fun. You'll just have to adapt. Try reading some adventure stories, maybe. I know you can still be a lady and a tomboy, Jackrabbit."

She sighed. "You really think so, Tom?"

"Course I do. Now get some sleep. You have to muck out the stalls tomorrow."

Tom untied her boots, and handed her a parcel wrapped in brown paper. She carefully opened it to find a worn pair of jeans.

"My old ones. I figured you can wear them under the dress instead of them frilly things."

"Thanks, Tom." she flung her arms around her brother once more, and he gently tucked her in.

"Can... can you sing to me? Like you did when we were running from Simon?"

Tom nodded and brushed the hair from her face, singing quietly until it was obvious she was asleep, before slipping quietly from the room.

He'd known Jesse would have to grow up and be a lady someday, and he'd known she'd hate it, but he was confident she'd overcome and manage to do it with charm and gusto, just like she did everything else.

She woke up and slid on the jeans under her dress, slipping down to breakfast.

Joe stared. "Jesse, did you know you're wearing a-" his question about the dress was cut short when Adam kicked him under the table, and Joe got the hint and was quiet.

"You look real purty, sis." Hoss said, trying to make his obviously unhappy sister feel better.

She offered him a wane smile. "Thanks, Hoss."

"So nice to meet you, Ms. Rosetta. I was hoping my daughter, Jesse, could join the church choir." Ben tipped his hat to Ms, Rosetta, who beamed.

"Why of course, Benjamin. Please, call me Jeanette, and it would be a oleasure to have Jessica. Why don't you go up to the choir loft, sweetie?" Jeanette said, and Jesse nodded, trying not to look forlorn as she did so.

She already disliked Jeanette, she was a large woman, plump and jovial in her plum colored dress, but behind the warm brown eyes and curly blonde hair, she had a feeling this woman wanted to break her like a horse and make a perfect lady of her...

She avoided the flockif girls in fancy dresses, who chattered on about pointlyess things such as dinner parties and coming to call on one another like magpies, choosing to sit beside a girl about her own age in a light rose colored dress.

"It's awful, isn't it, the way they chatter on, so simple minded..."

"I know. I'm Jesse." she offered her hand to the new girl, though Ben had insisted she wear fancy white gloves that she hated...

"Kelly. My Ma made me join the choir, said it'd make me a lady. What about you?"

She laughed. "My Pa said the same thing. The entire bunch if ladies would probably faint if they saw a mouse."

Kelly nodded. "Definitely. You know, with you around, I just might like this choir a lot more."  
Janette had had her eye on Ben Cartwright for a long time, and she was delighted when he arrived with Jesse. In her eyes, Ben had been a bachelor for far too long.

"Jeanette, thank you for allowing her to join the choir. She's a little bit... well... wild, and I was hoping this might settle her down..."

"Of course, of course! What a splendid idea! I could even come out to the Ponderosa to give her instruction on etiquette if you'd like. I taught at a finishing school back east."

Ben nodded, as though thinking it over. "That would be wonderful. Say you come out on Wednesday, Jeanette?"

"Of course, Say around noon?"

"Yes, that would be wonderful. I'll be seeing you, Jeanette."

"Have a nice day, Benjamin." she said, seeming to walk on air. She got the ladies to be quiet, focusing especially on Jesse. She'd win Ben's heart by teaching his child how to be a lady.

"Jesse, come on. Pa wants us fixing those fences." Adam grumbled. He thought Jesse was simply dawling, and hadn't considered she was riding sidesaddle.

Jesse was having a hard time keeping up with Adam as t was, but she nodded. "Coming, Adam..."

She urged Thunder into a canter that bobbed her up and down, and suddenly the material of her dress slid down the well-oiled ssddle, and she ended up landing on her side.

"Jesse!" Adam pulled up Sport, snd Thunder, feeling himself going riderless, stopped and trotted back.

"Are you alright?" Adam asked, helping her to her feet.

She nodded. "Yeah, the dress got on the saddle and I jut slidd off, I guess. Stupid sidesaddle. Sorry for slowing you down, Adam."

Adam felt a pang of sympathy towards his sister. "Don't worry about it. Just as long as yiu didn't get hurt. Come on, let's try riding again."

Finally, they were at the fences and completed the task. They rode into the yard just as Ben and Hoss rode up.

Ben beamed, glad to see her riding sidesaddle. When Marie had raced in tha ateful day she'd fallen from the horse and died, she'd been at a gallop and astride the horse. He believed sidesaddle was much safer, until Jesse swiftly fell off Thunder.

"Jesse!" Ben had a flashback to carrying Marie's limp, broken body into the house all those years ago...

"I'm fine, Pa, dress just slid off the saddle." Jesse stiffly got to her feet and brushed herself off. "Confounded sidesaddle." she muttered, before nodding to Ben and going to stable Thunder.

At supper that night, Ben explained how Jeanette was coming to give Jesse lessons in etiquette the following day.

Joe wrinkled his nose. "Aww Pa, does she really need to have all those manners and such? I mean, when will she ever need to use them in Virginia City?"

"Joseph. She will be taking lessons in etiquette regardless of where she lives, and I would appreciate it if you supported the decision."

"It sounds wonderful." Adam said, smiling. He'd always loved the finer things of life.

After dinner that night, while the boys played checkers, Adam took down the leather-bound dictionary and proceeded to try and teach her new words.

"Come on, Jesse. Don't you want to be able to have a nice conversation with Ms. Rosetta? Now, the first new word. Multipurpose- to serve more than one purpose. Got that?"

She nodded, and Adam beamed. "Next, Quiescent. It means to be inactive or lazy. Then, Abortive. It means useless. Two more words, alright?"

"Fine." Jesse said, earning herself another smile from Adam.

"Okay, sublime means beautiful, and bromidic means uninteresting. Don't you feel smarter already?"

Jesse grinned. "I find this all very bromidic." she said sweetly, before slipping over to watch the checkers game.

Somehow, all the Cartwrights were around the house when Jeanette arrived for Jesse's first lesson.

"Alright, Jessica, we'll start with smalltalk." Jeanette said, situating herself across from Jesse in the living room.

"Now, Jessica, what fascinates you?" she asked, trying to engage the new student.  
"Horse racing. And you, Ms. Rosetta?"

Jeanette shook her head. "No, Jessica, small talk is where ladies talk about thins everyone can relate to, just things normal ladies must do. Let's try again. What fascinates you?"

"Buttons." Jesse said, looking at the buttons on Jeanette's dress. She saw the look of disapproval on her face and quickly tried to amend it. "I mean, sewing. My favorite thing to do is sew buttons onto clothing, because it means the job is almost complete." she said, and Jeanette smiled.

"Better. Now you should ask me a question." Jeanette instructed.

"What fascinates you, Ms. Rosetta?" she asked.

"I enjoy taking strolls around town and looking at the china dishes, thank you for asking, Jesse."

"I find that quite bromidic." Jesse said, knowing the fancy lady misunderstood and took it for a complement. "You know, we have a man here from China. Would you like to meet him?" Jesse prayed it would go right, and was astonished when she actually managed to introduce Jeanette to Hop Sing.

"A pleasure to meet you, Hop Sing." she said, smiling at the cook.

"Pleasure is all mine. Would you like refreshments?" he asked.

"No thank you, Hop Sing, I'd like to teach Jessica here how to serve refreshments. Go on, Jessica, and we'll see how you do."

Jesse nodded, lifting her skirt and and returning from the kitchen a moment later with a tray and some tea cups and saucers on it.

Most of the Cartwright boys were astonished Jesse had actually managed to get this far, and watched the two ladies with wonder. The magic was broken when Jeanette took a sip from her cup and broke out coughing, staring into her teacup.

"What is this?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm as she stared at the amber liquid in the teacup.

"It's Brandy, Ms. Rosetta, Pa always serves Bandy when we have company." Jesse said, taking a small sip.

Jeanette nodded, getting herself under control. "Brandy, Jessica, is to be served in goblets, not tea cups, and only men indulge in alcoholic beverages."

"Oh." Jesse nodded. "How abortive." again, Jeanette mistook her large word as a complement and beamed, while Adam glared at Jesse.

Suddenly a mouse scurried across Jeanette's shoe, and she screamed, jumping onto the couch and going white as a sheet.

"Mouse! Come here, mousy!" Jesse was already chasing after the mouse, jumping over the coffee table and managing to corner the small creature and scoop it up.

"Hoss! Bring me the multipurpose bucket!" she yelled, and Hoss quickly obliged. She dropped the mouse into the dented bucket, and they both looked at the frightened creature for a moment.

"We'd a-better let it outside." Hoss said, and they both walked to the door and released the creature.

"Be free." Hoss said, and shut the door behind the creature, and turned to Jesse, who was beaming. "Teamwork." she said, high-fiving Hoss.

"Pardon the interruption, Ms. Rosetta, now where were we?" she asked quietly.

Jeanette was pale, still, and slowly got to the floor. "I think our lesson is done for the day, Jessica, I'm feeling quite faint... I'll return tomorrow." she promptly left, and Jesse looked after her.

"Well that was quite fun." she said.

Joe was struggling not to laugh, and Ben sighed and shook his head, but even he couldn't hide the smile that was tugging at his lips.

"Jesse, you insulted her." Adam said seriously.

"Yes, but she didn't know it. She was too fancy to understand, and she liked it. I thought it was very good small talk."

"And we saved a mouse." Hoss said, settling down and taking a swig of brandy from the teacup.

"Golly, this brandy tastes just a good in a teacup as it does a goblet!" he said, and Adam slapped his forehead and shoo his head while Joe grinned.

Ben watched his youngest's antics with a smile in his eyes, as did Tom. Jesse was anything but proper, yet still she had a charisma about her... He sighed and shook his head. Maybe the lesson would go better tomorrow.


	41. Be a Lady Part 2 Screaming at God

"Jesse, why don't you just ride behind me?" Adam asked when she'd fallen from the sidesaddle for the third time that day.

"I can't Adam, and you know it. Pa said I have to ride sidesaddle."

"I know, but the only place you'll be going is to the doctor's office if you keep riding like that."

"Well I'm trying, Adam! Do you think I enjoy falling off my horse!?"

"No, I don't..." the throbbing in his head intensified. Adam had felt terrible all morning, but hadn't said anything to anyone, since he hated being sick, but he was dizzy and stumbled form where he'd been helping Jesse to her feet.

"Adam, you okay?" she asked, noting his flushed face.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry about insulting your riding..."

She crossed the distance between them in two strides and felt his forehead. His reaction time was slowed by the fever, and it took him longer than usual to pull away.

"Adam, you're burning up." she said.

"I'm fine..." but the entire world seemed out f focus fr him.

"You get on Sport and you ride back to the house with me, or I'll ride back and tell Pa you're sick and he'll be mad at you for not coming back to the house sd for me having to ride back alone."

Adam sighed- he ached all over, and he knew Jesse was right. He got onto Sport and the entire world shifted... He barely grabbed the reins before he fell off the horse.

"Adam? Adam!" she tapped his cheek and got no response. Realizing he'd fainted, she panicked slightly. She saw the figure of Cochiese in the distance and grabbed Adam's pistol, firing three shots in the air.

Soon Joe was beside her, looking worriedly down at Adam.

"He's real sick, Joe." Jesse said, trying to keep the fear from her voice.

Joe nodded, looking at Cochise and knowing he was a faster horse. H hefted Adam into his arms and set him on the saddle in front of him.

"You ride and get the doctor, Jesse, and I'll get him home. Forget the sidesaddle and just go, fast."

She nodded and pulled the saddle from Thunder's back, not feeling the satisfaction the movement would normally bring because of her worry for Adam.

"Sport, go home." Jesse called, knowing Adam had taught the clever horse that command.

"And Jesse, loose the dress. It'll slow you down. Do you have pants on under that dress?"

She nodded, and Joe pulled off his green jacket and handed it to her. As Joe got on Cochise behind Adam, she pulled the dress over her head, quickly putting the jacket on over her underthings, and Joe gratefully looked away as she hurriedly buttoned up.

"Fast as you can, Jesse." Joe ordered one last time, laying his hand on Aam' fevered brow. "He's real sick. Come on, cooch! Hya! Hya!" Joe spurred the pinto to a gallop,  
leaving Jesse to swing up onto a bareback thunder, who nickered with pleasure at being freed from the sidesaddle. He hated it almost as much as Jesse did.

She felt like her old self again, in blue jeans and Joe's green jacket, on a bareback horse, holding the reins loosely.

"Go boy, go!" she dug in her heels, and Thunder let loose all the energy he'd stored up while his rider hadn't been racing, raer, she'd been falling from the awful sidesaddle...

"Go boy! Go!" she urged. The stallion's hooves seemed to rarely touch the ground, and she raced through town, not bothering the curses people hollered at her. She pulled Thunder to a stop outside of Doc Martin's house.

"Doc Martin!" she pounded on the door.

He saw how out of breath she was from the wild ride in and stared. "Jesse, what's wrong?"

"It's Adam. He's real sick, ya gotta come..."

"My horse threw a shoe." Doc Martin said, looking remorseful.

"You can ride on Thunder with me, but you gotta come."

Jesse kicked the horse into a full on gallop, and the Doctor clung to the reins, putting his hands over Jesse's, since he was uncomfortable with putting his arms around her midsection. She rode as wildly as he'd seen Joe do, despite being bareback and riding with another person. The ride to the Ponderosa which normally took half an hour was finished in ten minutes.

Ben had just helped Joe take a very sick Adam into the house when Jesse tore into the yard on Thunder. For once, he didn't admonish her, he was simply too concerned about Adam, who hadn't responded since he'd been carried in.

The doctor stayed in his room for a good twenty minutes before emerging again.

"Adam has a nasty case of the flu. I've seen quite a few cases of it in the mining camps this week, and I'm afraid Adam has it as well."

"Will he be alright, Paul?" Ben asked.

Paul nodded. "While the fever is high and takes hold fast, it normally isn't life threatening, but he'll be laid up for at least three weeks. I have some medicine I'll leave with you, keep him comfortable and try and get him to eat. He's string, Ben, I have no doubt he'll make a full recovery."

Ben let out his breath in a relaxed woosh. "Thank god."

"As for you, young lady, if you keep riding as crazily as you did to get me here. So many shortcuts, and with the horse at breakneck speed, and bareback, no less."

Jesse blushed. "Sorry, I can't ride sidesaddle that fast, and Adam needed help..."

"I told her to go that fast, doc." Joe volunteered. "Adam looked serious."

"He certainly was, but with the medicine he's already doing better. Be careful on that horse though, young lady. Ben, may I borrow a horse?"

"Of course, Paul..."

Joe nodded. "I'd better go and get the dress and sidesaddle Jesse left outside."

Ben nodded absently, and Jesse went out to the barn, finding Sport, clever horse as he was, already waiting outside his stall.

"Damn!" she kicked the stall door and Sport gave her a nervous look and whinnied. She let him into his stall as the tears started to pour down her face. As she took off his saddle and removed the bit from his mouth, she talked, not to Thunder, who was also waiting to be cared for, but to Sport, because he was Adam's horse, the ckosest thing she had to Aam right now.

"The doc said he ain't goin ta die, but his fever was so damn high, sport! she pressed her head into his neck and wept. "I can't loose him! I'd go to hell an back if it meant I could save him, and then when I did he'd say I was reckless."

She looked up and remembered one of Pa's sayings. There but for the grace of God.

"Damn you! You don't even exist! she screamed at he ceiling.

"There is no God! If there is, then why the Hell did Simon steal our ranch? Why the Hell hasn't my Pa got home yet!? Did you take him up to your little heaven, well, did you!? And now you're tryin to take Adam too! I... I hate you!"

She kicked the dust and cried quietly, satisfied she'd given God a piece of her mind about how he ran the world. She washed her face in the water trough and cared for both horses before going upstairs and falling into bed.

Before she did, though, she slipped into Adam's room. He was in a fevered sleep, and it was a brief moment when no one was in the room with him. He moaned and thrashed quietly, but when she stroked his damp black hair, he relaxed.

"Don't you die, you hear me?" she whispered. "God ain't all he's cracked up to be." she kissed the sweaty forehead and dipped a cloth in the bowl of water, putting it on the fevered brow, and gave him one last look before retiring to her room.


	42. Be a Lady Part 3 Do I have a choice?

The next day both Hoss and Hop Sing were feverish, and the next day so was Joe.

By noon, Jesse took one look at her Pa and decided. "Pa, you look sick..." she reached up to feel his brow, but he pulled away.

"I'm fine, Jesse." he tried to soothe her fears, but he, too, felt horribly sick.

"Pa, you're sick, and don't you lie to me. I'll tie you to the bed if that's what it'll take to keep you there. Now go rest."

"Jesse, whose going to care for your brothers and Hop Sing?" Ben asked, running a hand through his hair.

"I will, Pa. And Tom knows how to run a ranch. Go on now, get to bed..."

"Only for a few minutes, Jesse."

"No, until you're better, or I'll call Doc Martin and have him help me tie you to the bed."

Ben chuckled. She certainly could be fierce when she wanted something done for his wellbeing.

"Alright, Jesse, all right." he went upstairs. As soon as his feverish head hit the pillow, he was fast asleep.

She sighed and slipped downstairs. With Hop Sing sick, she'd have to cook, but she could, contrary to her brothers' belief, cook. Her Ma had taught her well.  
"Adam needs broth, his throat is sore, and tea with honey... Hoss will want oatmeal and brown sugar... Joe will be getting fussy by now, I'll make him eggs... and broth for Pa and Hop Sing as well..."

She made everything easily before slipping upstairs. Adam had recently awoken, and she brought his broth to him first, since he was the weakest.

"How do you feel?" she asked quietly.

"Better than yesterday. Say, that smell good- what is it?" Adam asked, looking interested. He was as white as a sheet and still shaky, though, and she spoon fed him the first bite.

His eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, that's good. Where'd you learn to cook like that?" he asked hoarsely.

She smiled. "My Ma taught me when I was a little girl. Now, stop talking and rest."

Adam smiled. "Alright, nurse Jesse." she was still wearing her blue gingham dress, and he smiled. So she actually could act like a girl...

"Don't push your luck, or I just might forget how to cook." she threatened, and Adam gave her a wane smile.

He ate half the broth, and then a few spoonfuls more at Jesse's insistence, before he finally sank back against the pillow. "I think I'm going to sleep now." he said.

She nodded. "If you need anything, throw something at me when I walk by the door."

Adam chuckled. "Alright."

"Sweet dreams." she murmured, before standing and leaving the room.

With Hoss, it was a battle to get him to eat, which scared her.

"I ain't hungry none, Jackrabbit."

"You're always hungry, and you're hungry now. You just don't know it." she said.

Hoss shook his head. "Nope, I really don't feel like eating..."

She took the cover off the bowl that she'd made his oatmeal in, and instantly the aroma of it filled the room.

Hoss sniffed carefully. "Did'ya put brown sugar on it, so's it got all melty like?" he asked.

"Sure did, Hoss, just the way you like it. It's a shame you ain't hungry."

She turned to leave. "Wait!" Hoss's voice stopped her, and she turned around, smiling.

"Maybe I'm a bit hungry..." she left the bowl with him, since Hoss was well enough to feed himself, and went into Joe's room with the eggs. Joe was always fussy, always in a temper when he was sick, and now was no different.

"I made the eggs the way you like them." she said, and saw Joe's sour expression.

"I don't want any eggs." he said, expression stony.

"What do you want, then? Tell me, and I'll make it."

Joe said nothing.

"Alright, fine, then, I'll leave these here incase you change your mind." she set them on the bedside table.

She turned around when she heard the crash and saw Joe had purposely knocked the to the floor.

"Quit trying to be a lady, Jesse. You ain't ever going to be one! You can't cook! The yolks was all runny!"

She wanted to yell back at him, but instead she stepped forward, untying her apron and scooping the mess of broken glass and eggs up with it before turning and running out of the room so Joe didn't see the tears that threatened to spill over.

"Oh Lord..." she prayed when she got to the kitchen, tears rolling down her cheeks as she threw away the mess she'd scooped up.

"Thanks for not taking Adam, I'm sorry I dun yelled at ya an' cussed like a drunk. I know Joe don't mean it- he's sick and tired- but why's it gotta hurt so bad when he tongue-lashes me like that? I... I know you got a plan for the entire world an everything, and that's why my Pa didn't come home and my ranch got stolen an everyone got sick, but I can't do this nursing thing alone. I ain't even a lady! Help me God, ya gotta help me..." she pleaded. Almost as soon as she'd finished praying, the door opened and Tom entered.

She gasped and wiped her tears on her apron. "I... I'm sorry, Tom, I dun forgot to have lunch ready for ya."

"It's alright, Jackrabbit." Tom stepped forward and hugged her.

"I'll tell you what- you work on getting lunch ready for me, and I'll take these bowls of broth up to whoever they're for."

Jesse nodded. "They're for Pa and Hop Sing. I'll make you some soup, how's that sound?"

"Sounds good, Sis." Tom took both bowls and mounted the stairs. Soon he and Jesse were sitting down to lunch.

"This sure is good." Tom said, mouth full of the vegetable soup she'd made with some of the broth.

"Thanks. I remembered how Mama used to make it... Tom, why'd ya come in early?" she asked, seeing it was only ten in the morning. The boys normally didn't come in until noon.

"Well, I was out helping the hands, and I got this nagging feeling you needed some help. I see I was right. Can I have some biscuits for when I'm out with the men. Them nice sourdough ones, did ya make any?"

"Sure did. Fresh from the oven. Thanks, Tom." she said, handing him four of them.

Tom pocketed three, eating one on the spot."No problem, sis, that's what family is for. I gotta go help with men now, but you holler if you need help with anything."

"I will." she said, smiling as Tom went to leave. "Thanks, Tom." she whispered. "And thank you, Lord."

She heated some broth and went back up to Little Joe's room, opening the door and stepping inside.

"I told you you can't cook." Joe said crossly. She let the door fall shut behind her.

"Now you listen here, Joe Cartwright. I might not be a lady, but you sure ain't a man, breaking dishes and insulting my cooking just cuz you ain't man enough to taste it. Now everyone is sick, and I'm doing the best I can, so try a little broth and if you don't like it then I'll try to cook something better."

Joe eyed her quietly before taking a spoonful of broth and swallowing it. His eyes widened. "This is actually really good..." he broke out coughing and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, Jesse, I just miss having you as a Tomboy. I wish you couldn't cook or be a lady. Remember all the good times we had together?"

She sighed and perched on the edge of his bed. "Of course I do, Joe, but does wearing a dress really change that much?"

Joe nodded. "Well, the dress, not really, but the cooking and manners lessons and sidesaddle and singing in the church choir does. Do you really like all that stuff?"

"Truth be told, no." she said, smiling. "Well, I like cooking, and the dress I can deal with, but I hate the rest. Some small part of me still wants to be a lady, though. I want to make Pa happy."

"But will yo ever be happy as a lady? I know part of you wants to be a lady, and I understand, but would you give up a life of adventure and horse racing for that?"

She stood and turned away. "Even if I didn't want to be a lady, do I have a choice?" she turned and ran from the room, leaving Joe in a stunned silence.


	43. Be a Lady Part 4 The Last Victem

"Thank you, Jesse." Ben said, smiling as she handed him the broth.

"You're welcome, Pa."

"You've gotten everyone to take their medicine today? Even Joe?"

"Even Joe, Pa. He didn't even fuss."

Ben smiled. "That's my little lady..." he was surprised when her eyes filled up with tears. "Jesse, what's wrong? Are you getting sick, too?"

"Sick of being a lady." she said quietly, before lifting her skirt and running from Ben's room as well, leaving Ben to think long and hard about what his little girl had said.

For the first time since she'd come back from her running away, she disobeyed her Pa. She ran into her room and pulled off the dress, throwing it aside as tears of frustration rolled down her face. She ran to the dresser and pulled out her shirt and jeans, stepping into them before slipping into Joe's room to borrow his green jacket. She slid on the moccasins Sagebrush had given her so she'd tread silently.

She climbed out the window and jumped to the ground, moving silently to the barn and to Thunder.

She found an old saddle, not the dreaded sidesaddle, and slid it onto Thunder, putting the bit into his mouth and tightening the cinch before jumping on.

She led the horse out onto the grass, savoring the feeling of once again riding astride the horse, the security and control it brought her. "Go boy. Go." she whispered, and the skewbald quickly obeyed, flexing his massive, muscle legs and racing towards the unknown destination, only running to soothe his fractured soul and his Mistress's pain.

She felt the velvet night fly past her as they cut through it at a wonderful speed, almost as fast as when she'd rode to get Doc Martin. That had been disobeying her Pa, but she knew the circumstances had allowed her to do that. This was blatantly disobeying his demand for her to ride sidesaddle, but oddly enough, she didn't care. She'd tried her best at being a lady, and could do everything but stay sidesaddle and ride slowly. She was born to race.

She'd reached a pasture by now, and as Thunder continued to fly over the ground, hooves pounding the earth, she threw her head back and howled. She was instantly answered by a dozen coyotes and she grinned at the wildness of it all. This- this was what she dreamed of.

Of course, no one really believed much in a female horse racer. Sometimes it seemed like Thunder was the only one besides her who had faith in her dream. And being a lady meant never following her dreams...

She led Thunder back into the stall when she saw dawn was beginning to break, tending to Thunder before slipping back upstairs to change into the dress and the fake life she had.

Surprisingly, all the Cartwrights were well in two and a half weeks, and they all sat around the dinner table once again.

Ben looked at the faces of his children- they were all paler than normal, but Paul told him that the flu had become an epidemic in Virginia city, and he was thankful his family had all made it.

"Dear Lord, we'd like to thank you for protecting us..."

There was a thud and Jesse fell out of her chair. Adam was quickly beside her, looking worried, as everyone else stood up.

"She fainted, Pa..." he felt her forehead and gasped.

"She's burning up."

Ben nodded, confirming it by laying his own hand on the face of his youngest. The heat there was shocking...

"Joe, go ride for Doc Martin." Ben ordered, gathering her into his arms.

Her eyes flew open and she squirmed, pulled away from Ben and fell, staggered to her feet, and ran out the door, the Cartwrights not far behind her.

Adam found her behind the barn, on her knees, being violently sick.

Adam crouched down beside her, rubbing her back as she retched and another mouthful of bile came from her lips.

Ben wasn't far behind and stopped at what he saw.

"Sorry... Pa..." she gasped out between gagging. "Didn't want to... make mess... inside..."

"It's alright, Jesse, it's fine. Do whatever you need to..." Ben assured her, and she shuddered, finally finishing being sick and leaning heavily against Adam, shaking slightly. Adam pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her mouth, looking concerned as he studied the flushed cheeks...

"How long have you been feeling sick, sweetheart?" Ben asked, moving to pick her up.

"It started right before dinner with a headache... I figured it would go away..." she groaned and shuddered involuntarily in his arms, and Ben knew she was definitely sick.

"Pa..." she said when they were halfway to the house. "I'm going to throw up again."

Ben nodded and set her down, and she staggered behind a haystack and dry heaved for the next ten minutes. When she was done, she was exhausted, and Ben carried her upstairs. He could feel every muscle in her trembling, and, to his horror, she fell into a deep sleep even before he laid her in bed.

Adam pulled off her boots while Ben unbuttoned her dress, embarrassment forgotten as they tried to cool off the small body that was burning with fever... They stripped her down to her jeans and shirt, and they'd just finished putting a cool cloth on her forehead when Doc Martin entered. He looked grave as he saw the youngest Cartwright, and he shook his head.

"She's got it even worse than Adam had it, Ben. Try to keep the fever down give her medicine and broth, but there's nothing else I can do... If she lives for three days, it's a good start towards recovery."

They all nodded, gravely silent, as they realised they could very well loose Jesse.


	44. Shooed out of Heaven

**I think this is the bes chapter I've written s far, it has the emotional suspense and physical pain that blends for just the right mix of angst and love. I want all the reviews you guys have for this, and please tell me if you liked it! Thanks again, readers especially Debbie55, Islaboe, and Aurea for the reviews! Please keep them coming! :)**

The first night with the fever she was delirious, sometimes knowing and sometimes not knowing what to say. She rambled on into the wee hours of the morning about how much she hated dresses and how awful they were, and every Cartwright sat and listened, knowing it might be the last time she spoke.

The day came, and she slept, but during the night the all watched her slip towards death.

She smiled crookedly, looking at the bedclothes in front of her.

"Papa, look at the race! Go Cochiese, go!"

Joe felt tears welling up in his own eyes, and Ben recalled never seeing her this happy. Even in her delirium, she was happier than she'd been at he ranch, always looking slightly sad in a dress and on sidesaddle, like a wilting flower.

"I'm going ta be a horse racer someday- a good one..." she muttered, leaning back against the pillows, growing sleepy. She studied the ceiling and smiled.

"You sure are, Jesse..." Adam muttered, trying to comfort the girl who seemed perfectly at ease with the fact she was dying.

"Joe, your Ma is the prettiest angel I ever seen..."

Tears rolled down Joe's face as he looked to where she pointed. "Mama, don't take her, please..." he pleaded.

Jesse's eyes fell closed in sleep, and they all kept vigil around the girl, all with tears rolling down their faces, wondering if she'd ever wake again...

Ben grabbed her hand in his own.

"Jackrabbit, don't you die. I see it now, I tried to force you to be a lady, and I'm sorry. I only wanted you to be successful in whatever it was you wanted to do in life, and you'll need some idea of manners if you want to be successful, but you will be a horse racer if that's what you want to be, and I will love you all the more..."

"Forget the sidesaddle! When you wake up, we'll burn it!" Adam promised, wiping his own eyes.

"And you can use my saddle when you ride in races, it's the lightest." Joe promised.

"And you'll never have to wear a dress again! I'll rip em up with my bear hands." Hoss added.

Tom mumbled something in Shoshoni, and Hop Sing nodded. "When liwwle girl wake up, Hop Sing make all pies you want."

She still did nothing, only laid back against the pillows, deathly pale and still, her breathing slow and shallow...

Ben watched as the fever ravaged his youngest's body, watched as the second night of fighting for her life turned for the worst. He'd seen her happy, he remembered, a few weeks earlier when she'd rode up with the boys, astride Thunder after racing around, characteristic smile had lit up her face, and she'd seemed like the happiest girl in the world... She was a simple person, really, clever but content to live out her life in the land she loved more than life itself...

She looked so like Marie at this moment it shocked him. She constantly risked like and limb. One fall from her horse, one misstep around a bull, one sassy word to a man in a saloon could mean death, yet she played the game of life and played it with gusto, always had...

And now she was about to loose. Not to a gunfighter, not to a wild bronco or a mountain lion, but to a terrible illness...

Memories flashed through her brother's minds as well, all the laughs and rides they'd shared with their sister. His last month she'd seemed the most unhappy, in a dress, riding sidesaddle, so sad and restless... Oh, so have her be as she'd been again!

Their wild, loveable sister, in the jeans and shirt, carrying a pistol and riding astride a horse with a thousand-watt grin, braid of chestnut hair falling down her back, the golden tan that boasted of her indian heritage showing as she raced horses with Joe or wrangled strays, or played a joke in Adam, which she so often did...

Or the times when she wrestled with Hoss. Of course, they all knew Hoss could crush her like a bug under a boot, Hoss could kill a man with his bear hands, but he was always gentle when he wrestled his sister, who knew she'd never win but never stopped giving it her all as they rolled through the mud, scaring the life out of Ben, when he saw his littlest, and a girl, no less, wrestling with Hoss just for fun... Oh, she'd love to tempt fate.

She had that charm and charisma about her that Joe had, but the cleverness of Adam, and the protective instinct of a Cartwright, as well as acting like she were as big as Hoss... Of course, all these skills had never been perfect, which was proven by all the scrapes she'd gotten into, but she'd been true to her family until the end...

_She looked around her carefully at the three faces, suddenly seeing a horse in the distance and running to it. It was a large, black mare with a cleverness in her eyes and a gentle temperament that boasted of strength yet to be revealed. She stroked the horse's velvety nose. It looked like the living image of a horse Adam had been telling her about once, his first horse..._

_She saw the saddle and stirrups, as well as the saddle bag. The brand of the Cartwrights on her rump, and an engraving on a small piece of metal that was the stirrup caught her attention. The name ADAM CARTWRIGHT, written so boldly it shocked her...  
"Beauty..." she muttered, stroking the horse and throwing her arms around her. "Adam loved you so much! He... he said when yo died that yo wee to be his Ma's horse..."_

_"Yes, my sweet son never forgot me, though he never knew me, giving me his first horse..." she looked to the woman beside her who affectionately touched Beauty's mane... The dark hair and stunning cheekbones, as well as the clever ligh behind her eyes revealed her to be Elizabeth..._

_"Ma! You're my Ma! Well, sort of, I guess, I mean, the Cartwrights kind of adopted me..."_

_Elizabeth shook her head and smiled. "Yes, they did, but you can't stay here long, Jackrabbit... I love you already, but of course, I cannot love you more than your own mother already does, as a mother's love for her own child surpasses that of any other who hasn't mothered the child- please, give this message to my dear Adam for me. Are you listening?"_

_"Yes." she was suddenly intensely focused, knowing she should be so for Adam's sake._

_"Tell him this; 'The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends, and where the other begins? So, my son, as well as my dearest Ben and the other sons and daughter whom you have fathered and who I love as my own, how shall such a boundary that is as vague as this stop my love from reaching you? It cannot, and I wait patiently until you shall see me again, in due time."_

_A rather large woman came over next, her face lit up by a smile that didn't stop at her lips, but was conveyed by her expressive blue eyes and dimpled cheeks... She was obviously the mother of Hoss._

_In a heavily accented voice, she smiled. "Jackrabbit, my Hoss does love you! Oh, as do I! It is wonderful to meet my step-daughter!" she pulled Jesse close in an embrace, and her huge bosom and warmth reminded Jesse so much of her own mother she felt tears fill her eyes._

_Inger pulled back and saw this. "Do not cry, my child- all will be as it once was for you in time. Tell my dearest Hoss that the largest bull is the gentlest, and that I shall wait for him, as well as my step-son, whom I long to meet. I love them all, and death- such a horrid thing- can do nothing to dull love."_

_Just then a woman raced over and wrapped her in an embrace. In a French accent, she cried, "My little flower! How good to see you once again!"_

_Jesse starred. "You- you're the angel I saw... I knew you were Joe's mother..."_

_"And yours as well, as Ben has taken you in, you're lie my own. Tell the boys I love them, and the same with my Ben, and of course, you, little wild flower." she said planting a kiss on her cheek. "And tell my Joseph, Mon petit Joseph vous aime, douce fleur, maintenant vous devez revenir à lui. Dis à ma mort Benjamin ne peut rien faire pour détruire l'amour, et tous mes garçons, je suis fier des hommes qu'ils sont devenus."_

_She nodded, looking from one woman to the next._

_Suddenly Elizabeth spoke, still leading Beauty. "You cannot stay here, little one. You must return to the land of the living. You've still got much life to live."_

_Jesse looked around her. They were in a large valley, up in the mountains, She remembered it from the Ponderosa. Everyone wore white, and she found there was no pain, no worries..._

_"Jesse Peterson, you go home right now! You ain't supposed to be here for a long time!"_

_"Grandma!" she hugged her grandma, who hugged her back and smiled, tenderness in her eyes._

_"You go on back home now, Jesse. Heaven ain't ready for all your antics yet."_

_"But Grandma, I don't wanna go..." she pleaded. "Don't you miss me?"_

_"Of course I do. Tell everyone I love them, and you'd a-better go back down there."_

_"But Grandma..."_

_"No buts, Jesse! Ain't no use arguing with the almighty! Now get. You'll know the way when you walk it. It won't be easy, but it's what the almighty has planned..."_

_Suddenly she was alone, alone in the clearing. She had no horse, and the only place she could think of as the way home was the journey of ten miles back to the Ponderosa. She saw Beauty suddenly beside her, and a note in spidery handwriting that resembled Adam's. It read 'Ride to the Ponderosa. Don't forget to stable."_

_She shook her head and grinned. Adam was always reminding her to stable her horse, and she mounted Beauty and started the long trek down..._

She gasped for a breath, and Ben reached out and felt her forehead. She was cool, suddenly, the fever gone...

"She hasn't left us yet, boys! The fever's gone, she's just weak. It's up to her to fight it through, now, we should talk to her..."  
She groaned as she'd fallen off Beauty for the sixth time. She wasn't even down the mountain yet, and the pain became more vivid, more real, as she left that wonderful valley...

"Come on Jackrabbit, just a little further!" Ben's voice came from he sky, still blue, urging her on.

_She staggered back into the saddle and rode another fifty feet before falling. She as exhausted, everything hurt, she was bleeding from several cuts, now..._

_"Come in, Jackrabbit! Fight harder than that! Ya can do it, gal!" Hoss's voice spurred her on, then Tom's, Joe's, and Adam's each in turn until she could see the Ponderosa house. Oh, everything ached, but she rode on, remembering to stable Beauty. The last few strides between the barn and the house were the most difficult, and she fell and dragged herself up onto the porch, her family's encouragement still raining down on her as she leaned against the wall and opened he door, falling, falling, falling through the sky..._

Her eyes flew open and she gasped. Ben and the Cartwrights had been encouraging her, talking for the past six hours, and she looked around he room and caught her breath, looking as though she'd been rolled on by a steer.

She tried to talk, but only a croak came out, and Ben quickly held a glass of water to her lips. She hurriedly drank it, and Ben finally took it away.

"Not so fast, you'll make yourself sick again, Jackrabbit..."

But she ignored him. "I... I saw them... all of them..." she said, voice barely above a whispered.

"Who?" Adam asked, curious.

"Elizabeth, Inger, Marie, Grandma... even Beauty! I rode her, she was the sweetest horse, Adam, your Ma rides her just like you wanted..."

Adam swallowed slightly shocked. "What... what did my mother look like?"

"She had long brown hair and blue eyes, about five feet tall, she had that way of talking, poetic, like you... She wore white with no lace trimmings..."

"She hated lace..." Ben cracked a warm smile at the memory.

"She told me to tell you this; The boundaries which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague..."

"Who shall say where one ends, and where the other begins?" Adam finished. "It's my favorite quote, from Edgar Alan Poe..."

"She said more." Jesse said, and Adam fell silent as she continued. "So, my son, as well as my dearest Ben and the other sons and daughter whom you have fathered and who I love as my own, how shall such a boundary that is as vague as this stop my love from reaching you? It cannot, and I wait patiently until you shall see me again, in due time."

She stopped to take a breath, and Adam stared, shocked.

"She said something about what a good horse beauty was, and she loved you. Beauty... such a smart horse. All black,but she had a white star pn her chest..."

Adam stared. "Hoe did you know that?"

"I saw it. You had your name engraved on the stirrup, Adam Cartwright, in all capitals."

Adam's eyes widened and he grew pale.

She turned to Hoss. "Your Ma gave the best hug I've had in awhile..."

Hoss had begun to tear up. "She sure did. That's one o' the things I remember..."

"She told me to tell you that the largest bull is the gentlest, and that I shall wait for him, as well as my step-son, whom I long to meet. I love them all, and death- such a horrid thing- can do nothing to dull love."

Tears streamed down Hoss's and Ben's face at this, and she turned to Joe.

"Your Ma ran right over to me and hugged me. She told me to tell you something in french, it was; Mon petit Joseph vous aime, douce fleur, maintenant vous devez revenir à lui. Dis à ma mort Benjamin ne peut rien faire pour détruire l'amour, et tous mes garçons, je suis fier des hommes qu'ils sont devenus."

She, to her and everyone else's surprise, repeated it in flawless French. Adam had learned French in college, and he quickly translated.

"My little Joseph loves you, sweet flower, now you must return to him. Tell my Benjamin death can do nothing to destroy love, and all my boys I am proud of the men they've become."

Joe stared, as did everyone else.

She turned to Tom last. "Grandma shoed me out of heaven, said I had to come back. She's just like she always was, and she's waiting for us, she says..." the effort of speaking, as well as managing to get ack to the Ponderosa was exhausting, and her eyelids fell closed. She was almost instantly asleep.

"Pa, you don't really think she was in heaven, you?" Adam asked quietly.

Ben had regained control of his emotions by now. "Well, son, what else could explain it? She knew what beauty looked like, you on't even have a picture of the horse, she knew you had your name engraved, we never told her anything... It seems to be the only logical explanation."

Adam nodded quietly, looking at his younger sister in awe before trying to comprehend what had just happened- he'd received a message from his dead mother, and Jesse's fever had broken. Now that she was awake and talking, it was clear the road to recovery was going to be easy, after what she' just faced in returning from heaven.

They all offered up a silent prayer of thanks, for the messages they'd been given, but, mostly, for the return of Jesse Cartwright.


	45. The News

**Okay, now ack to recovery and Jesse gets a chance to follow her dreams!**

Her recovery went by painfully slow in her eyes, but to everyone else it was remarkable, considering how close to death she'd come.

Ben had spoken to her as he'd spoon-fed her broth that day she'd woken up, telling her about the promises he'd made to allow her to be herself and to wear her normal jeans and t-shirt around the ranch, as well as ride astride a horse, and carry her pistol around.

"I would still like you to wear a dress into town some of the time, such as when we dine at the international house, and you'll still be wearing a dress to church, of course. Also, I expect you to still take lessons in etiquette from Ms. Rosetta, now that the flu epidemic is over, and we'll take you to the store. I know a lady by the name of Mrs. Orowitz, she'll get you fitted for some new dresses and other female attire."

Jesse nodded, turning her head away from another spoonful of broth. "Pa, why'd you make me act like a lady for so long? Did you get side of having a wild thing?" she asked quietly, eyes full of doubt.

Ben set the bowl and spoon on the night table and held her close to him. "No, Jackrabbit, never. After you ran off, I knew you were alone and could've been killed... I was afraid wildness would put you in danger, so I tried to change you. I never should have, I'm sorry, I was just afraid of loosing my little girl..."

He felt her body shaking with silent sobs now, and rubbed her back soothingly. She, to his surprise, crawled into his lap and still clung to him, and they continued like that until he felt her body begin to go slack as sleep took over. Before it did, he heard her whisper quietly, "I forgive you."

Those three words brought tears to his own eyes, and he wiped them away as she went completely slack and drifted off into a deep, healing sleep.

He spoon fed her for the rest of that day and the next, and sat with her during mealtimes when she was able to drink broth from a mug by herself, and eventually work her way up to regular meals.

During that time they talked at length, Ben explaining why he still wanted her in etiquette lessons.

"I want you to be successful in whatever it is you want in life, to find happiness. At some point, you'll need those manners to help you along the way. You understand, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Pa. What about the church choir?"

"Well, Jesse, I told Ms. Rosetta you'd join, and I'm a man of my word..."

"I don't mind it that much, Pa. I made a friend, even."

Ben tried to hide his surprise. "A friend? With a girl from the choir?"

Just then there was a knock at the door, and a moment later Adam entered with a young girl beside him.

"Jesse, your friend wanted to visit." Adam said quietly, though he had no idea who the girl was.

"Kelly!" Jesse's face lit up at the sight of her friend. They'd shared many whispered conversations during choir practice, and she'd missed her friend during the flu epidemic.

"We'll let you two catch up." Ben said, ushering Adam down the hall and allowing the two girls to talk.

They talked mostly in hushed voices, but peals of laughter floated down the stairway to Ben and his eldest as they exchanged looks, smiling.

"Glad to see she made a friend besides Joe. Maybe this Kelly will keep her out of trouble." Adam said quietly.

Ben nodded. "Maybe. But I doubt it."

"You really did that?" Jesse asked, listening to Kelly's retelling of Ms. Rosetta's reaction when she'd left a dead beetle in her music folder.  
"Sure did. She went, eeeee!" Kelly squealed and flapped her lower arms around like a chicken, and both girls burst out laughing at the impression.

"That was before I got the flu, of course, while you were busy here." Kelly said.

Jesse nodded quietly, and Kelly took her friend's hand.

"From what Doc Martin said when he came to see my Ma, you were on death's door."

"I was. But I saw all Pa's departed wives, and then, out of nowhere, my Grandma comes and shoes me back, saying I have to go back to earth."

Kelly stared. "What did it look like?"

"It looked like a beautiful valley up by the mountain passes I'd ridden through. I'll show it to you sometime, when Pa says I can stop this dadburned resting."

Kelly nodded. "Virginia City's getting life back into her, now that he epidemic is dying down. Soon they'll be more choir practices."

Jesse grinned, as did Kelly. "I know that smile, Jesse Cartwright. You've got some pranks planned for choir practices, haven't you?"

Jesse shrugged. "Who said anything about it stopping at practice? I was wondering if you'd like to join me in my etiquette lessons, see if we can teach Ms. Rosetta a few lessons of how we do things out west."

Kelly grinned from ear to ear. "My Ma would be incredibly pleased with that, I'm sure."

"Pa!" Jesse called, and Ben was in the doorway a moment later. "Can Kelly come attend my etiquette lessons with me? It'd be much more fun with a friend."

Ben smiled, happy to see Jesse finally had a female friend. He worriedly about her, being raised with all these boys... "I don't see why not. I'll give you a note to take home to your mother asking about it."

"Thank you Mr. Cartwright." Kelly said, and Ben left the two alone once again.

"I heard you caught the flu as well?" Jesse asked quietly.

Kelly nodded. "Not nearly as bad as you did, though."

"And what about Frankie?" she asked, remembering Kelly's younger brother.

"Him too, but he's fine. The main question for you, Jesse, is when wilk you cme iut to school?"

Jesse's eyes dulled slightly. "Well, my Ma was a schoolteacher, and I've learned what I've needed to graduate..."

"Have you gotten a diploma yet?" Kelly asked, interested.

"Not yet..."

Joe, who'd been walking by, stopped short.

"You haven't? Geez Jesse, Pa will want you to get it..."

Jesse sighed. "Can we talk about this later, Joe?"

Joe nodded before slipping downstairs to see Ben.

"Hey, Pa... Did you know Jesse hasn't gotten her high school diploma yet? I mean, she'll need that, right?"

Just then the front door closed and Tom entered. He'd overheard the conversation, and quickly spoke.

"She was getting ready to take the test the school house teacher in our valley had prepared when Simon took over, and then everything kinda fell apart..."

Ben nodded. "It's not that I'm upset, but I want Jesse to finish her education. I assume you finished yours?" Ben asked, and Tom nodded.

Ben got on Buck. It was already November, the school term had started, but he wanted to make arrangements with Mr. Beker, the school teacher, so Jesse could get her high school diploma. Most children around Virginia city dropped out around her age, except girls who finished their education to go on to a finishing school...

Ben found the schoolteacher was out of town, and left him a written note asking if Jesse could take the final exam before Christmas before leaving and riding back to the Ponderosa.

By this time, Kelly had left, and Jesse was allowed, for the first time since her illness, to join everyone at the table for supper.

During that time, Ben explained everything to Jesse, who stared.

"So I have to go to school?" she asked quietly.

Ben nodded. "Until Mr. Beker can make up the final exam for this year and you take it, yes, I'm afraid so."

Jesse sighed. "Do I have to wear a dress, Pa?"

Ben nodded. "I would appreciate it if you did. But I've checked with Sheriff Coffee, the teacher is out of town until the first of december, visiting relatives who are out with the flu, so you'll have time to get ready."

"Hey, that means you can go to the fall festival." Hoss piped up, trying to cheer up his reluctant-looking sister.

"The what?" Jesse asked, looking confused.

"You've never heard of the fall festival?" Joe exclaimed, shocked. "It's amazing! Like a Carnival! On thanksgiving, everyone in Carson Valley gets together in Virginia city and has a party! There's pie eating contests, turkey roasts, and horse races..."

"Horse races?" Jesse asked eagerly, now completely enraptured by Joe.

Joe nodded. "Yep. Anyone can enter, the prize is fifty dollars..."

"I don't really care about the prize. I just want to race." Jesse said quietly.

Joe nodded. "Well, a ton of kids go and race, along with a bunch of men, normally the men win..."

Ben cleared his throat. "Jesse, racing horses with your brothers is one thing, but in such a big race, with men..." But Ben remembered he'd promised to let her be a horse racer when she'd been sick, even if she didn't remember it.

"Please, Pa? I'll be real careful, I promise."

Ben hesitated before finally consenting. "Fine. But then you go to school until you receive your diploma. Are we understood?"

Jesse literally squealed with delight and hugged him. "Sure Pa, anything to race! I'm going to practice!"

She left her plate at the table and barely remembered to grab a jacket before running outside to mount Thunder.

They all smiled after she went, even Hop Sing, though he shook his head. "Liwwle girl ride vely fast, be good racer." he said as he went to take her plate.

"She sure does." Joe remarked, as she raced past the window on Thunder, a blur...

"Um, Pa, we may have a problem." Adam said quietly.

"And what might that be, son?" Ben asked.

"Um... well... remember when that stallion killed his owner? I mean, I know the man was abusive, very abusive, actually... Jesse may have gentled that horse, but he's still got plenty of scars. Even with the saddle on, you can see it."

Ben nodded. "I see what you mean. And you don't want Jesse to be seen riding such a scarred horse in the race."

Adam looked uncomfortable. "Well... no. I mean, she loves animals, we all do, how will it reflect on her reputation if she rides him?"

Ben sighed. "You're right, son, but she loves Thunder to death- and he follows her practically everywhere. She'd be upset if we suggested she doesn't ride him."

"Maybe we suggest it before the race, say she'd have better chances with another horse. What do you say, Pa?" Hoss asked.

"That sounds like the only choice we have, boys." Ben said quietly. He wishes Thunder didn't still have the scars from his first owner's abuse- but ha couldn't be helped. The mot daunting task now was to convince Jesse not to ride him.


	46. Let Thunder Alone

**Adam gets pretty protective in this chapter, and Jesse acts like her age, for once. She's adjusting to the fact she doesn't have to worry aout survival all the time with Cartwrights to look out for her.**

She walked out of the postoffice, where Joe had sent her- well, asked her to take his place in going to collect their mail, to find a crowd gathering around Thunder. She thought they were admirers first, until she heard the laughs.

"Look how ugly he is!" one child remarked, prodding Thunder in the belly. The horse shifted uncomfortably, and as the other children burst out laughing she strode over.

"Get away from my horse." she said in a cold tone.

"You own this hunk of meat?" one girl asked. Jesse recognised her from choir practice- Her name started with a V, and she always hated this girl's attitude and the way she looked down her nose at people.

"Yeah, this stallion is mine." she said, emphasising the word as she untied him from the hitching post.

The V-girl laughed. "Jessica Cartwright, riding a broken down horse like this. What's the matter, your daddy didn't buy you a nicer one?"

"No. I gentled this horse myself. His first owner abused him and he went wild." she didn't meet the girls eyes, fearing she just might punch her if she did, putting the mail in the saddle bags.

"Oh, so you stole it! You're a blind horse thief, to steal this junk horse." V-girl stated, and everyone laughed.

Her fists involuntarily clenched. "I didn't steal him. He went wild to escape his abusive owner, I told you!"

"You're riding Marty Fly's old horse." One boy piped up. "It reared and killed him! Knew exactly what it was doing, just stomped him to death!"

Everyone suddenly went silent and stared, waiting for an answer.

"I don't deny he killed Marty Fly, but that man was notorious for beating his horses to death if he had trouble breaking them. How else do you think he got these scars on him? If you talked to Sheriff Coffee when they cleared out his place, they found ten dead horses on the property. Thunder here just made sure he wasn't one of them." she rubbed Thunder's nose and the horse nuzzled her gently, relaxed now that she was here.

"That horse is a murderer." V-girl said quietly. "It should be shot."

"He ain't a murderer! It was self-defense!" Jesse said, and the V-girl laughed. "Like a dumb horse knows self-defense. It's a killer. I'll tell my Pa and he'll talk to the sheriff. There's no way you're entering that horse in the races."

"Shut up." Jesse said quietly, swinging up onto Thunder's back.

"That horse is going to end up a bottle of glue, Cartwright. My brother's going to win the horse race." V-girl said. Jesse remembered her name was Veronica as her eyes filled with tears and she started Thunder at a gallop back towards the ponderosa.

But this time, even the incredible speed Thunder raced at couldn't soothe her fears. She took the saddle off her horse and tried to comb him down, doing a poor job as she found she couldn't see a thing with tears in her eyes.

She gave up and dropped the comb on the floor of the stall, leaning her head against Thunder's flank and sobbing, hand grasping his mane as she rubbed his flank with the other and cried.

"You ain't a murderer... You're my friend... Best horse... ever..." she muttered through her tears. Thunder whinnied quietly to her and nuzzled her head, not knowing what was troubling her but trying to help.

Jesse heard approaching footsteps and scrambled into the hayloft to hide just as Adam entered.

"Jesse? What's taking you so long?" Adam asked. He found Thunder's stall door open and the horse not groomed, as well as the comb on the floor, and picked it up, starting to brush the horse warily. He'd seen this horse kill Marty from a distance, tried to help, but there had been a difference then.

Marty had approached the horse with his whip snapping, not a little whip to keep the horse in line, but a large, rawhide whip... And there'd been wounds, open slashes on the horse's thighs and flanks from where Marty had no doubt already whipped him.

He'd seen the fear in the horse's eyes, known what was going to happen, but the wind had stolen away his yell of warning, and the horse had reared as Marty went to strike it, bringing his hooves down on Marty's chest and stomping him to death...

He'd tried to capture the horse after that with no success, and deemed him untameable. Until he'd heard Jesse had been seen riding her...

"Hey, buddy..." Adam spoke as he groomed. He ran his free hand along the scars that had been gaping wounds the time the horse hd killed Marty.

"You've had it tough, buddy." he remarked, and Thunder bent his head and started to nibble at Adam's pocket.

"Hey!" Adam scolded playfully, and the horse ignored him. Adam grinned and the horse continued to nibble, looking at him imploringly. "How'd you know I keep sugar cubes in there?" he asked, digging into his pocket and giving one to the stallion, who delicately took it from his palm. Jesse certainly had done a wonderful job gentling this horse, from a crazed beast to a loveable stallion.

Adam finished the grooming and got the mail from Jesse's saddle bags, wondering where the girl had gone off to... Just then he heard crying and cautiously climbed the ladder to the hayloft.

He found Jesse with her face buried in her knees, crying. Instantly his heart went out to the girl. She always seemed so much littler when she was crying.

"What's the matter?" he asked, settling down beside her.

Jesse spoke without lifting her head, and all he heard was gibberish. He couldn't help but smile. "You're going to have to talk so an understand, Jackrabbit. Come on, tell me."

She lifted her head. "They're going to shoot Thunder!" she got out. And then the entire story about the encounter in town came spilling out. Pa was on business in Carson City, he'd be gone for at least three days, and Adam was in charge.

He listened and put his arm around Jesse, trying to comfort her.

"No one will shoot Thunder, I promise. Those were just bullies trying to scare you, keep you from entering the race."

Jesse shook her head. "I know Veronica- the spoiled, filthy brat- she'll tell her Pa every word- and they'll get Sheriff Coffee out here..."

As soon as she'd spoke the words they heard hoofbeats in the yard, and Sheriff Coffee's voice calling.

"Ben! Ben, where are you? Ben?"

Adam turned. "Stay here." he ordered, before climbing down to meet Sheriff Coffee.

"Hello, Roy. My Pa's out on business, what can I do for you?" Adam asked, leaning up against the wall.

Roy looked uncomfortable.

"Well, George Riker came in and said I ad to get here right away, said that Jesse managed to get ahold of the horse that killed Marty Fly."

Adam sighed. "Yes, she did. She's had that horse since she ran away last month, she found it and gentled it. In fact, it was the horse she was riding when she managed to get away from you after finding those cattle rustlers."

Roy started, then cleared his throat. "Well, Adam, it did kill a man..."

"Yes, but what about the horse that killed my Ma?" Joe asked, startling both Adam and Roy. "Sometimes the best riders fall off. That horse wasn't dangerous, it was a freak accident. Now, Roy, you're a friend,but no one will take that horse from Jesse..."

"Joe, in the report Adam filed with me after Marty's death, he said the horse trampled Marty, purposely knocked him down..."

"After Marty beat it half to death. I think the horse is innocent, don't you?" Joe said.

Roy sighed. "In my eyes, yes. But it's what the people of Virginia city think that matters. Besides, I saw that horse wild, there's no way Jesse could've tamed it to be safe..."

"Don't be so sure." They all whirled to find Jesse astride Thunder. The horse had no bit in his mouth, no saddle or stirrups on his back, but was completely at ease.

Jesse eyed Roy coldly. "Now Mr. Coffee, I know you're a friend of my Pa, but if you killed my horse, the gentlest horse ever, as you can see by the way he is now, just because of a few idiots in Virginia City, I... I'd never speak to you again." her voice cracked on the last word and she hiccuped, quickly wiping her eyes.

"What Jesse means to say, Roy, is that you shouldn't kill her horse just because people say it's dangerous. Actually, Roy, I hate to say this, but you have no right to kill the horse unless it openly shows it's a threat to public safety, and the horse was just defending itself from Marty at the time he killed him." Adam said.

"And she will be racing that horse at the fall festival, Roy, you have no reason to ban them. That horse acted the way he acted because he'd been abused, but Jesse's gentled him." Joe looked over to see Jesse nodding her agreement.

Roy sighed, then chuckled. "I'd hate to have you Cartwrights mad at me. I'm sorry for all this visit has put you through, Jesse. I'm not going to kill that horse, but the people of the city might get a little angry... Lock your doors tonight, Adam, I'll send word to your Pa to try and get home if he can."

"No need, Roy. I can take care of my family, thank you. Joe, help Jesse put away Thunder and finished her chores, would you?"

Joe nodded, and Jesse walked into the barn, Thunder at her heels and Joe behind her, while Adam and Roy said there goodbyes.

Adam felt more protective of Jesse than he'd ever been before, even when Daniel was around. Thunder- the name she'd given that horse- had been with Jesse the entire time while she'd run away from the Ponderosa, and he knew they'd bonded. He also trusted the horse with her since, after all, she'd been gone two weeks and the horse had been gentle and easygoing with her. Not to mention the fact the horse had fetched Doc Martin while he'd been ill in ten minutes. That horse wasn't just a scarred stallion Jesse had befriended. It was like her guardian angel and best friend.

And seeing his sister cry up in he hayloft had infuriated him. It took a lot to make Jesse cry, and this Veronica girl sounded like a bully. Jesse, with her good nature and easy-going disposition, would be an easy target for her. Only this Veronica didn't want to see the darker side if Jesse, since he knew if Veronica kept heaping insults on her she'd snap and Veronica would probably end up with a bloody nose.

"The only reason she wants Thunder dead is cuz her brother's in the race." Jesse muttered. "And she knows Thunder can win."

"Easy Jackrabbit. Calm down. I won't let them take Thunder, I promise."

"Cross your heart?" Jesse asked.

"Cross my heart and hope to die." Adam replied.

"Don't hope to die! I need ya!" she clung to him, and Adam chuckled, but also felt a pang at realising how shot her nerves were from exhaustion.

"It's a figure of speech, Jackrabbit. You look ready to drop, why don't you go to bed. You've already had supper?"

She nodded, still looking worried.

"Relax, sis. I won't let them take Thunder. Now go on up to bed, The horse race is tomorrow, don't want you getting sick."

She nodded and slipped upstairs to her room. Adam peered in a few minutes later to find her fast asleep. She'd been so tired she hadn't even changed into a nightshirt, just pulled off her boots and fallen asleep where she fell on the bed...

He smiled at the sight- she looked so much younger, so innocent while she slept. Hard times had forced her to grow up fast, he knew, and he covered her with blankets, tucking her in like Ben would've, before kissing her forehead and slipping out of the room.

He found all three of his brothers waiting downstairs.

"What'd ya need us for, Adam?" Hoss asked, looking worried. "Joe said there was trouble."

Tom entered the room with an armful of rifles he'd gotten from the gun rack. "Figured I'd load and listen." Tom explained, loading a rifle for each Cartwright.

Adam nodded. "People in Virginia City heard Thunder killed Marty Fly. Some girl who wants her brother to win the horse race convinced her Pa Thunder is really dangerous, and Sheriff Coffee warned us they might come up here. Now, I was there when Thunder killed Marty, he trampled the man after Marty beat him half to death. I promised Jesse I'd keep Thunder safe, and I intend to do that. I'm going to need some help, though."

"You don't even have to ask." Tom piped up. "Where do you want us stationed?"

Joe crouched in the corner of the empty stall with two pistols, Tom was perched in the hayloft with two pistols as well, and Adam sat up against a post in the barn, in plain sight, rifle across his lap. Hoss was upstairs in Jesse's room, making sure the men didn't searched the house and happen upon Jesse.

before dawn broke, Adam heard the hooves in the yard and waited. They'd left the barn doors unlocked, and seven men woth rifles walked in.

"Morning, fellas." Adam said, not bothering to stand. "Why are you here?"

"You know why." one of them growled. "That horse is going to end up killing someone at he festival today."

"He won't. I'll guarantee you that. Now, I could bring you all up on charges of trespassing already, unless you care to try and take Thunder, in which case I'll have you hanged for attempted horse thievery. Or, if you shoot that horse, destruction of property. Either way you'll end up in jail. Or, you can leave now and I won't press any charges. Your choice."

The men already had rifles pointed at Adam, and he lazily pointed his own rifle at the leader.

"You wouldn't really charge us with anything, Cartwright. You can't even make us leave here. Not so tough without your daddy, are you? One man and one rifle against our seven."

"Three men, actually, and we both have two pistols that have six shots each before we need to reload, and two experienced shooters. Care to test your odds with that?" Joe asked, making his presence known by standing.

"My brother asked you to leave. Now leave. We wouldn't want to have to be... impolite..." Tom said, jumping down from the hayloft.

The men edged towards the door and went to leave. "This isn't over Cartwright. You'll be sorry when that horse gets shot for going crazy in town."

The three brothers followed the men outside to their horses, guns still aimed, and each of them put away their rifles.

"Boys, what's going on?" Ben asked, looking a bit surprised.

"Nothin, Pa. Just escorting some... friends... to their horses." Joe said as the men rode away.

Adam explained the situation to Ben, who nodded grimly.

"You did what you had to do, Son. I'm proud you stood up for your sister and that horse."

Adam nodded. "Hoss is inside watching Jesse, making sure no one tried to get in the house."

Ben nodded his approval and the four started the walk inside.  
"Jesse will be happy to see you. She wants you to see her race." Tom said.

Ben nodded. "I did promise her I'd be back in time to watch, and I'm a man of my word."

"Papa!" Jesse threw herself at Ben as soon as he entered and Ben chuckled, returning the hug.

"Hello, Jackrabbit. I can see you're excited for the race."

"Am I!" Jesse grinned. "Hop Sing made pancakes and Hoss just might eat them all if you don't shake a leg!"

They all grinned and Ben filled in everyone on the plan for the day.

"We'll go to town after breakfast. I figure we can walk around and enjoy the festivities. Jesse, I want you to stay with one of us at all times. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Papa. I was thinking I'd stay by Thunder..."

"Don't you worry none about Thunder, Jesse. Old Hoss here will watch him. You go and have fun. It's your first fall festival, after all."

She nodded. "Thanks, Hoss."

"I expect everyone to meet at the pavilion at quarter to one, though, we'll say our goodbyes to Jesse before she had to go off to the race at one."

"What about Joe? Aren't you in the race?" Jesse asked, looking surprised.

Joe shook his head. "Nah, I decided I'd best sit this one out. Cochise has been acting a little sick lately."

She nodded, taking it in. It would be her first horse race today, snd Joe wouldn't be racing with her. She hardly touched her breakfast.

"I take it you're a little nervous?" Adam asked as he helped her saddle the horses. She blushed and nodded.

"Don't be. You're fast and you're a great rider, I've seen it. Just don't be shy out there. Give it your all, and I'll be proud of you no matter what."

She nodded, and he ruffled her hair. "Be confident, kid. Not many girls have the guts to ride in a race like you. Be a Cartwright."

She nodded, and they talked and laughed the entire way to town. She's confident thought. Let's just hope she stay that way in the race.


	47. The Race

**Here's Jesse's time to shine! hope y'all like it, and please review, regardless.**

She was nervous, so nervous she didn't indulge in any of the candy pr gifts her brothers offered to buy her from the various stalls set up for the festival.

Joe took her with him for awhile to brief her for the race. "Now, things could get ugly. Some of the riders like to play dirty, and Thunder has a good shot at winning. People will want you out of the race. If someone grabs your arms and tries to drag you off, I want you to kick either them r their horse and get off. Whatever happens, don't fall. And if you do, either get cover or get back on your horse before the others trample you. Understood?"

She nodded.

"You really are nervous, aren't you. Is this your first race?"

She shook her head. "Nah, but I've never raced against men. In or valley, it was always just for the kids. And if I screw up or get hurt, Pa might never let me race again."

"Relax, Jackrabbit. You'll be fine, I promise."

Just then, the man on the podium yelled for the racers to get to the start of the track.

Ben and the other Cartwrights, as promised, came to wish her luck.

"Remember, Jesse, confidence." Adam whispered when he hugged her, and Hoss gave her his big grin as she went off to the starting line.

"Now, this here race goes from end of town to the other, on a round track we set up. Ya go when ya hear the gunshot, stop once ya pass the finish line. I want good racing, folks. On your mark, get set, go!"

He fired the pistol and jumped over the make-shift barrier, and the horses raced off...

She'd had little time to take stock of her competition, but they were mostly boys around her age or men...

She didn't worry about the others, jockeying for speed and position until she pulled up beside the boy who was Victoria's brother.

He seized her arm and started to pull, trying to drag her off. She had a brief moment of panic seize her before she remembered Joe's words and kicked his horse in the flank. The horse pulled forwards and he let go of her arm, but at the last possible moment, and she ended up facedown in the dirt.

Her head was on fire, blood boiling, heart racing, and she rolled just as a horse breezed past her, then another... Thunder back tracked and she staggered forward, swinging back onto the saddle and tasting blood, but not caring as she kept on going...

"Mitch Riker has her by the arm, trying to drag her off... oh, she's managed to get free but she's off her horse! And the others are coming!" the man announcing yelled, and Ben felt his heart skip a beat.

"Stay down, Jesse!" Adam yelled, feeling horror take over as he ran to the fence and a horse narrowly missed her.

"Get up! You ain't finished yet Jesse, get up! Fight for it, girl!" Joe yelled.

Ben watched, heart in his throat, as she staggered to her feet, face smeared with blood and dirt, and swung up onto her horse as if nothing had happened, racing forward...

"Go Jackrabbit, go!" he yelled, feeling both grateful and amazed she'd gotten back into it.

She passed two more men and another boy, still catching up to Mitch Riker and holding steady with him... The boy looked over with surprise in her eyes and caught her with a left hook that sent her clear off the saddle.

She clung to the reins and felt her legs being dragged across the ground.

"oh, Mitch Riker nails Jesse Cartwright, sends her off the saddle, the gal's taking a beating... wait! She's still holding on! She ain't off her horse yet!"

Ben's heart leapt. From where he stood he could see his baby girl clinging to the reins for dear life, see the focus in her eyes as the toes of her boots dragged on the ground, slinging an arm over Thunder's neck and following with a leg...

A collective cheer went up from the crowd. Thunder whinnied, nervous to be running when she was still clinging to him. Her one foot found the stirrup, and she swung herself back over and astride her horse, flashing Mitch a bloody grin.

She wanted to knock him off his horse, but they'd somehow couldn't. She wanted to win this race by skill, not force.

Mitch turned his own horse, sending her up against the fence. Alarmed cries came up from the audience, and she saw a blank spot with no people and urged Thunder forward, having him jump the fence and continue racing alongside it.

"I don't believe it folks, Jesse Cartwright has jumped the fence and is still racing alongside, on course! Mitch is looking agitated to have a fence between them..."

"Go gal, go!" Hoss yelled over the cheering.

Mitch tried to have his horse jump the fence as well so he could continue to try and get rid of Jesse, but the horse didn't jump high enough and knocked the top pole of the fence down, but kept going.

"Oh! And Mitch is right behind her, he wants this gal out of the race!"

Jesse flicked the reins and Thunder jumped back over the fence. Mitch yelled in frustration. They'd taken the first and second turns and were nearing the finish line...

"Mitch has pulled up beside her, what's that in his hand? Oh!"

Mitch threw the clump of what appeared to be dung at Jesse's face and she ducked, catching some on the shoulder but remaining fine...

"They're in the home stretch now, neck and neck, Jesse doesn't seem to are what Mitch does!She's leaning forward on her horse now, talking to it, it seems..."

"Go baby, go!" She looked over to see Joe on the other side of the fence, galloping Cochiese and yelling for her. Suddenly Mitch had vanished, and she was only against Joe, she had to beat him...

"Go Thunder, go!" she yelled over he deafening roar of the crowds. Thunder pushed himself to the limits, faster than she'd ever seen him run, and he seemed to fly over the finish line...

"Jesse Cartwright wins! Unbelievable!"

She let Thunder ease into a trot, then a canter, and finally a walk, pulling him up to stop.

They were both exhausted, chests heaving, Thunder covered in sweat, Jesse covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, letting the news she'd won wash over her...

Someone took her from her horse and hugged her, and she realized it was Adam.

"First girl to ever win the fall festival race!" Adam yelled over the cheering as the other racers finished, and she realized it was Adam. "And after all Mitch did, too!"

"Jesse..." Ben hugged her next, finding himself swelling with pride as he held her. She looked exhausted as she leaned against him.

"I did it, Pa..." she muttered hoarsely.

"You sure did! And after you got knocked off your horse and punched!" Joe ran to the crowd of Cartwrights as well.

"Ya did good, sis." Hoss gave her a bear hug despite how filthy she was, and then Ben was having her sit down while he dabbed the blood from her face.

"I'm fine, Pa. Just tired..." she muttered.

"Stand up for the Cameras. First gal winner we had!" Announced the man who'd narrated, and Jesse grinned as he handed her the purse with the prize money in it as the camera flashed.

"Looks like her picture goes in the records with mine." Adam said, grinning.

"And mine." Hoss added.

"As well as mine." Joe said, grinning at Jesse's shocked expression. "Yes, you have quite a lineage of horse racers, Jesse." she smiled one last time as they snapped a last picture before leaving to head to the pavilion.

"Jesse, what are you planning to do with the money?" Joe asked quietly.

Jesse shrugged as they walked past the market stalls. "Save it until I find something to invest in."

"You did a good job controlling your temper out there. I know you wanted to hit Mitch. I wanted to, I know." Adam complemented.

She grinned. "Thanks. I didn't want to get a reputation as a cheat. He got what he deserved."

"He sure did." Joe said, beaming.

Adam turned to Jesse. "Mind if I hold onto the prize money for you? It's quite a sum, and I don't want anyone trying to take it from you."

She nodded and gave it to him, before seeing Kelly, who ran over, beaming.

"First girl to ever win the race here! Ever!"

Jess nodded. "And first girl to get horse crap thrown at her during the race. Man, am I glad the race is over. Now we can enjoy the festival!"

She turned to Adam, eyes pleading. "Can I go to see the stalls of the market if I stay with Kelly?" she pleaded.

Adam nodded. "Alright. But I want you to be back before dark. And keep your coat on." he ordered.

Both girls hurried off, but people had mainly congregated in the pavilion to have drinks and talk and laugh.

Kelly slipped into an alley and pulled her dress over her head, revealing she was wearing a shirt and trousers, as Jesse was.

She pulled on a coat and shot Jesse a grin. "Don't tell my mom I changed, She'd have a fit."

She nodded and grinned, and the browsed the wares carefully.

"I could use a new knife." Jesse said quietly, looking at them.

"Wow- tomahawks..." both girls stared at the tomahawks, The owner of the stall was asleep, and Jesse saw the price was twenty dollars. She shook her head. "I have indian cousins, they'd give me one for free if I asked."

Kelly nodded, looking disappointed, and they walked on.

Just as they rounded the corner, the butt of a rifle slammed into Jesse's head. She heard Kelly scream, but fell to her knees, the world swam before her eyes. She struggled, realizing Ben had made her eave her gun belt behind, and finding only one way to signal something had happened. Fumbling as she fought to stay conscious, she pulled off her coat and let it lie in the dirt, shivering and hoping her brothers would find her.

Her last memory was of being loaded into a wagon, hogtied and gagged, before the searing pain in her head became too much and she blacked out.

Kelly looked around he wagon. seeing a trickle of blood from the back of Jesse's head and realizing her friend was hurt. She'd seen the men and felt terrified. Jesse had told her about Simon, but the men were interested n taking her ask well. All Simon wanted was to destroy the deed to the ranch...

"Awe Carl, didya have ta knock the one out?" the man up front grumbled.

"Course I did. She's a Cartwright, if she got into a temper..."

"Carl, all we want is the purse she won. Not ta kill her. Why are you being so secretive? Why we gotta take them into the woods?"

"Because, like I said, she's a Cartwright. I've dealt with Cartwrights before, Carl, and if they found we'd only knocked her out and left her in town, they'd have took her to the doctor and had a posse on us faster than you can blink. But with the kid- they'll be a bit more cautious about who they send."

Kelly let out a relaxed breath. So these men weren't going to hurt them, they only wanted the money Jesse didn't have with her...

"Check the ropes on the Cartwright girl." the man called Carl ordered.

Kelly realized this was her chance and allowed crocodile tears to fall down her face.

The man checked the ropes holding Jesse and saw Kelly's tearful face.

"Carl, the one's real scared. What if she dies of fright or somethin'?"

"Shut up, Duke, she'll be fine. The Cartwright kid's tied up tight?"

"Yeah. Why are you so obsessed with this Cartwright kid? I mean, she's a little girl, it ain't like she's a mastermind."

"Duke, the Cartwrights are stronger than they look. I learned that first hand. Never underestimate one. If that girl gets free, Adam will have a thousand dollars on our heads once she's safe."

"How do you know?" Duke asked, giving his partner a look.

"Because I know Adam Cartwright all too well. This isn't just about money, Duke- this is about revenge."

Kelly shuddered and looked over at her friend. She supposed she could try and knock Jesse from the wagon so she'd be found sooner, but her friend was limp as a rag doll, and tied up like she was, there was no way she'd be able to break her fall, and was liable to break her neck.

She'd have to wait this out with her friend. Knowing how adventurous Jesse was, she'd know of some way to get free. It was dark, well past dark, by now, and Kelly hoped Adam and her family were out looking for them. She hoped they'd manage to get out of here alive, as well.

But, like she'd heard her Pa say, when she and Jesse were together, anything was possible.


	48. James

**Sorry for the wait guys, I sorta got sidetracked and had some serious writers block, but here's the next chapter. I know it's short, but give me some reviews and I'll keep writing! **

"Adam, I thought you told Jesse to be back here by dark." Ben said, getting worried.

"I did, Pa. She must've decided she was going to be a bit rebellious. I'll make sure she doesn't get too big for her britches. Just because she won the race doesn't mean she's allowed to disobey." Adam swallowed down the rest of his beer and stood, the rest f his brothers starting out looking. The ground was soft, and they followed Jesse's bootprints.

"She stops and waiting by the alley here, the prints are deeper..." Hoss remarked.

Joe emerged from the alley, looking grim. He held the dress Kelly had been wearing. "I found this back there. Maybe Kelly changed into britches as well."

Just then, Kelly's Ma ran over. "Ben, have you seen Kelly anywhere? She hasn't come to meet us like she promised she would, and last I heard, she was with Jesse..." she stopped short when she saw Joe holding her dress, and the color drained from her face.

"It's alright, Lucy, we think Kelly just changed into britches here. As for seeing her, I haven't, I'm afraid. We were looking for Jesse..."

"Pa, there are more tracks..." Joe pointed to the small bootprints among the mess that were Jesse's as he handed Kelly's dress to her Ma.

"Lucy, would you like me to escort you back to the tent?" Ben asked. He didn't want his friend to see the rest of the trail, as it could be worrisome...

"No, Ben. I want to find my daughter, and I won't return to the tent until I see the end of their tracks." she said firmly, and Ben sighed and they continued on.

"They stopped to look at this stand." Joe said, indicating the bootprints in front of the now closed market stall. "And kept going..."

"Pa!" Adam had rounded the corner now, and stared at what e was seeing. The lantern bobbed slightly, but larger footprints came- they were deep- someone had obviously been waiting for his little sister.

Ben tore around the corner, afraid of what he'd find but needing to know...

"Her coat's here, there was a struggle..."

"Pa, there's blood on it." Joe whispered seriously as he held up the coat. Sure enough, there were bloodstains and it was torn in several places.

"The tracks end here, Pa." Hoss said quietly, and Kelly's Ma began to weep into her daughter's dress.

"Wait, Pa, a wagon came along here, probably." Adam pointed to the rut in the road.

"Adam, tons of wagons use that." Ben said, running a hand through his hair. He was incredibly nervous, now.

"Ys, but that wold be how they escaped, The wouldn't leave fresh tracks if they went in the wagon rut, until they reached hard ground and left no tracks..."

"They're probably headed up the mountain." Joe said.

Ben nodded. "Come on, boys, we'll get a posse together. One of the girls is clearly hurt. Tom, take Lucy back to the pavilion, would you?" he asked.

Tom nodded and gently led Lucy's Ma back to the people while the boys got ready to go after whoever it was who'd kidnapped their sister. They'd get her back.

Dawn broke slowly for Jesse, but everything seemed to be happening slowly- the throbbing in her head, the way Kelly shot her anxious looks, and the jolts of the wagon.

She bit back a moan as they were jolted again and she hit her head on the wagon bed- they were on rough terrain, the mountains, probably.

The look in Kelly's eyes told her her friend knew something, and thankfully, at around midday, one man came back and undid the gags that were making their mouths feel like sandpaper.

"Could we have some water, please, mister?" Jesse asked hoarsely, and the man's eyes softened. He offered each girl a drink from his canteen before the man up front yelled for him. Jesse was surprised the manners Pa taught her had actually worked.

"I'm sorry, girls- I just needed the money. I didn't know we'd be taking you up here." he whispered, before going back up front.

Kelly leaned close to Jesse and whispered what she'd heard last night.

Jesse's eyes widened. "How does he know Adam?"

Kelly shrugged. "I have no idea. He wants money- and revenge, he said."

Jesse sighed. "I'm sorry to bring you into this, Kelly."

Kelly offered her friend a wane smile. "I don't mind. Wouldn't want you to have all the fun." she whispered.

They exchanged grins for a moment before he wagon jolted and they were both thrown up against the wall. A groan escaped Jesse's lips- she'd already been sore from the horse race and the wagon ride was making it worse.

"Quiet back there!" the man called Duke growled.

"Carl, ease up- they're jist kids."

"She's not just a kid! She's a Cartwright!" Duke roared.

"I ain't no Cartwright." Jesse piped up. She hated to deny the Cartwrights, but Adam would want her to do this in the situation to keep her and Kelly safe. "My name is Peterson- Jessica Peterson. Ben Cartwright took me in when my folks fell on hard times."

"Well, you're worth something to the Cartwrights. That's all I care about." Duke growled, spitting tobacco juice as the wagon jolted again.

Jesse leaned closed the Kelly, eyes serious. "Kelly, if anything happens to me, I want you to know..."

"Jesse, no. Don't talk like that!" Kelly hissed, eyes fierce.

"Kelly, I got a three shot pistol in my left boot. Daniel Rucker gave it to me for my thirteenth birthday. If anything happens to me, I want you to use it. I didn't have time to pull it on the men when they attacked us, and I probably wouldn't have aimed right anyways. We'll use it when we need to. I just wanted you to know."

Kelly nodded. "Fine. But we'll both get out of here alive, I know it."

Jesse nodded to reassure her friend, but she wasn't so sure.

"Ben, there's no way to tell where they went, the ground's too rocky..."

"I know, Roy. But if they only wanted Jesse's prize money, why wouldn't they have seen she didn't have it and left her in town."

"Maybe they want ransom money." Joe suggested.

Ada, shook his head. He felt uneasy about all of this, there was an air of familiarity...

Adam looked down at the ground and saw he envelope suddenly, with the wax seal that made his heart jump to his throat. He tore it open, feeling swet bead on his briw as he read the words in the sloppy handwriting...

_Adam,  
You killed my sister. Now I'll kill yours. I cherish the fact that you're helpless to save her. That all your wealth and land will do nothing to help her, all your begging and pleading will be music to me. You have no idea how I anticipate the look on your face when I hand you her body, the screams of agony that will come from deep inside you, the look of agony and grief written on your face... And when it turns to anger, I'll laugh. You can haul me into jail or kill me yourself, I don't care which, but I'll savor the fact that I've completed what I vowed I'd do that day when Ellie died. You, a murderer, were allowed to walk free. Because of your actions, Jesse will suffer beyond your worst nightmares. Death will be he only relief. I'll be sure you hear her cry for it, beg for it to take away the suffering. You stole my sister from me. Now I'll take yours.  
Hatefully Yours,  
James_

"No..." Adam whispered quietly. His hands had begun to shake.

"Adam, son, what does it say?" everyone had noticed Adam reading the note.

"Damn, I never killed her James! What the hell do you think you're doing!? She's just a kid!" he yelled at no one in particular.

Ben read the letter and paled, folding it into his pocket.

"It's clear James thinks you did, Adam." Ben said quietly.

"But I didn't! I didn't love her, Pa, I didn't know she'd kill herself!" Adam was ready to snap, Ben knew, and he sighed.

"Ben, what's this about?" Roy asked.

Adam sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "When I was in college, I met a boy named James. He introduced his sister to me and we hit it off, but things didn't work out. The day after I broke up with her, she killed herself. James never spoke to me again. But I never knew she had depression. They never told me. She'd always seemed so happy..." he trailed off, painful memories enveloping him. "And James has come all this way to get even."

"Adam, it wasn't your fault..." Ben started.

"Don't say that! If I hadn't broken up with his sister, Jesse wouldn't be in this situation! Look, I'm going to find her, alone."

"Don't be a fool, Adam. I won't let you go." Hoss said firmly.

"I'm not a fool, Hoss! I'm man enough to stomp my own snakes, and don't you try to stop me."

Before anyone could say anything, Adam was up n Sport and racing up into the mountains.

**Okay, yes, no? I just got back into this when Islaboe pmed me, so tell me what you think! I've still got plans for this story, but I'm sick right now with a stupid cold and fever and I ave to work and write my other stories as well... :(**


	49. Captured (Again)

**Okay, here it is! This will be my first story to break 100 reviews! Thanks guys, tell me what you think! **

"He's probably taking us up to Papoose Peak." Jesse murmured to Kelly, who gasped, They both knew the name of the peak. It lived in infamy. Overlooking the deep Orange canyon, Papoose Peak was an indian burial ground where deceased Indian children were buried. The place was already shrouded in legends of unexplained deaths. It was attributed to indian curse that any white man who set foot their without permission was instantly doomed. People believed it.

"How do we escape?" Kelly asked, and Jesse sighed.

"Well, I don't have my knife with me now, We can only hope the indians posted a guard at the burial ground and that they'll help us. I speak Shoshoni and washoe, and I look indian, so they should listen to me. If not my indian uncle will hunt them down..."

Kelly looked interested and nodded. "So the indians will rescue us?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"I sure hope so, because otherwise... we might not get rescued."

They rode in sombre silence for the rest of the steep trail up to the grounds.

Suddenly there was a jolt, and a curse as both Jesse and Kelly ended up on their aces on the ground behind the wagon.

"Don't try and run." Jesse whispered to Kelly. "I can fool them."

"Help! Don't leave us behind here!" Jesse shrilled, and Duke jumped out of the wagon, looking angry.

"A broken axel! On your feet, you miserable excuses for ladies!" Duke yelled, and he quickly found their feet.

Duke cut the rope that bound their ankles, setting them instead on the horses. Jesse smiled as Duke started to fumble at tying her feet under her around the horse and motioned with her head to Kelly, and they both kicked the surprised horses, sending them galloping towards what they hoped was freedom...

"Hey! Get back here!" Duke yelled, while the other man simply looked forlorn. Even with hands tied behind her, Jesse managed to somehow flex them so they came over her head and she seized the reins of the startled horse, leading him beside Kelly at the fast pace. No longer were they headed towards the indian burial grounds, In fact, Jesse had no idea where they were headed, except that it was away from Duke and Carl.

Adam knew he was being rash, maybe even foolish, to go after Duke himself, but the thought of his baby sister in his hands and the feel of the letter in his pocket made his anger take control, and like a mother fighting for her cubs, he was willing to do anything to get them back.

Even ride up to the indian burial grounds to free them.

He was on the way now, when he saw the broken wagon and stopped, crouching in the dirt by the rocky path. There were four sets of prints, but it led out to only two, which meant the girls had stolen the horses...

Adam grinned. Good girls, being able to get away. The only trouble now was finding them. He'd probably find James first. The girls had probably taken a cut around and were headed, instead of up to the burial grounds, to a valley below it...

Adam swung up onto Sport and kicked him, riding towards he valley with renewed hope.

"Who are they!?" Kelly yelled over the war cries and whoosh of arrows as the horses galloped at an insane speed down a narrow woodland path.

"Bannock Indians!" Jesse replied, pulling her horse around a sharp turn that raced out into the valley... to teepees. And lots more indians.

"Mister Cartwright, it ain't no use. From what that Adam told us, they're probably already dead." a man called Harvey said. "I mean, what chance do two little gals have against someone that crazy?"

"Jesse isn't your average girl, Harvey." Joe said, eyes hard as he turned Cochise and continued the search, praying Harvey was wrong.

"Dang it!" Jesse cried. As soon as they'd raced into the clearing seven indian braves had raced towards them, all painted with bows, and they found arrows being aimed at them from all directions and stood still.

"Now!" Jesse cried, and she and Kelly jammed their heels into the horses as the arrows flew.

But suddenly the horses, strange horses as they were since The girls had just stollen them in desperate hopes of escape, reared, frightened, leaving both shocked girls n the ground before running off.

Jesse waited, still laying on the ground, for them to pound more arrows into her. She didn't speak Bannock, of course, and these bannocks wouldn't like her, they were currently at war with the Shoshoni. It wasn't her tribe, the more northern shoshoni, but it was shoshoni nonetheless, so trying to communicate of her indian heritage would do her no good.

In a flash, they were hog-tied and led out of the camp, tied to two old, dead oaks. They danced around them and the children threw stones and sticks at them before leaving them all too soon in the silence.

"Jesse, what will they do to us?" Kelly asked honestly, voice holding no fear.

"I think... and this is just a guess... but I think they thought we trespassed on the burial grounds. They consider that more than trespassing, but disturbing the dead. So I think... I think they're going to kill us."

**Dun dun dun! Review and I'll have the next chapter up Monday. **


	50. Angel Tears

**Fiftyith Chapter! Wooo! And I broke 100 reviews! Please keep em coming, guys!**

Adam slowed Sport to a walk and examined the ground. Something sharp caught his eye... An arrow embedded in a tree! He felt dread rising in him as he tied Sport to a tree and quietly moved towards the valley. When he got there, his eyes widened at what he saw. Indians, Bannocks- lots of them- children playing and braves mending arrows and chipping arrowheads by the fires while women cooked. He had no doubt they had his sister.

Two horses with gear that indicated they'd recently been pulling a wagon were tied to a post with other odd indian ponies, confirming Adam's suspicions. But where was Jesse? An answer came to mind- but he refused to believe it. His Jesse wasn't dead. If they'd killed her, the indians would be dancing around the corpse by now, not going about life as usual.

Meaning they were probably being kept prisoner... Adam wanted to march into camp and fight any brave who didn't answer him, but he had to be smart about this, he figured. He had to figure out where the indians were keeping his sister before Duke did. He found the trail by the moonlight, heart bringing to pound, worried they might've already killed them... He was left praying as he tracked them, desperate to find them.  
_

"They tied us with rawhide, and it's getting tighter." Kelly remarked from her tree.

Jesse nodded, gritting her teeth against the inhuman, stabbing pain on her wrists, ankles, and just above the waist where the rawhide dug it.

"We could be dead tomorrow." Kelly said.

Jesse nodded again, and Kelly gasped when she smelled blood and looked over. Jesse had been trying to squirm out of the ropes, and the rawhide had kept chafing, resulting in the state her wrists were in now...

"Jesse!" Kelly's eyes widened in horror when she realized the skin had been torn down to muscle, and she recognized what had been her friend's wrists now as what looked like raw meat...

"It doesn't matter, Kelly. We might die anyways. Talk to me, please, keep me awake. I can't stand to spend my last night asleep."

Kelly nodded, swallowing back her own tears and pain when she saw her friend's outline in the moonlight. "Have you- have you ever been in love?" she asked.

Jesse nodded, eyes closed. Sweat was beading on her forehead, exhaustion and no food and water, combined with pain, had taken over now, and she hung her head for a moment, recalling the silver pistol in her boot.

"Who?" Kelly asked quietly.

"R-remember those names carved in the tree on my ranch I told you about? Daniel and Jessica? I said I'd never write my full name... but for him... I did. I love him, and I still love him, and I'll love him until I die." those words left her exhausted, and suddenly someone stumbled into the clearing.

"Girls?" Jesse heard Adam whisper and gave him a wane smile.

"Right here." she replied hoarsely.

Adam cut them both free, and surprisingly, Jesse staggered and nearly fell. Adam swore, feeling her forehead...

"Infection is setting in on your wrists." he informed her, and Jesse nodded. "I figured it would be..." she muttered hoarsely.

Adam felt nauseous simply looking at the wounds, his sister's flesh rubbed raw. Some bone gleamed in the light, and Adam winced. "Sport is just up here, Jesse. Think you can make it?"

Jesse nodded. "I'll be fine." She struggled with each step, feeling sick, but knew it was essential she pull her weight in this situation.

As soon as they reached Sport, though, she passed out.

Adam lifted her onto the horse, nodding to Kelly and lifting her on behind Jesse.

"Kelly, I need you to hold her. Make sure she stays on the horse, alright? We're almost out of here."

Kelly nodded, bravely holding Jesse up and having the sense to tie handkerchieves over Jesse's bleeding wrists.

Adam took Sport down the mountain at a much slower pace than he'd have liked, but the path was hard and steep, and three people was a heavy load for the horse. Even an experienced rider like Adam had to concentrate to bring them down safely, but he finally did.  
_

"It's Adam!" Joe yelled, bringing Cochiese forward to meet his brother. He helped Kelly dismount and caught Jesse as she slouched forward, and Ben stared, terrified.

"Is she...?" he asked, scared.

"No, she's got some infected cuts on her wrist, she struggled when they tied them with rawhide... I have to go find James, Pa. I won't let him get away with this."

"Too late."

Everyone whirled at the voice to see Daniel Rucker standing with the two unconscious men slung across his horse.

"Found 'em up up by the burial ground. Jesse must've stolen the horses. You can have em. I just didn't want them to get away." Daniel dismounted, walking hurriedly towards Adam.

"She's alright?" he asked.

Adam nodded. "How did you hear about this?"

"Simon decided to help these fellows out, but I can't prove anything. Like I said, I didn't want them to get away. Simon thinks her Pa is dead and he's got her ranch for good, but I'll stay there, Adam. Until he comes back and the time gets right." he said quietly.

Adam nodded, surprised by the young man's resolve. "Thank you."

"Keep her safe, Cartwright. Tom." Daniel tipped his hat to Tom, who had long since been friends with him.

"See you later. Tell Jesse to keep the silver horses with her."

"The what?" Roy Coffee asked, surprised.

"Jesse will understand." Daniel said, before jumping back onto his horse and riding off into the night.  
_

"He told us to tell you to keep the silver horses with you. What did he mean?" Adam asked her two days later, when the fever had broken and her cuts were healing.

Jesse grinned and pulled the pistol off the small sling she had on her ankle. She handed it to her brother. "Daniel gave it to me when I turned thirteen. Look at the metal work carefully."

Adam stared. "Silver horses..."

"Exactly. He wants me to keep it in my boot for protection still, meaning everything isn't safe yet. Probably Simon still wants me dead."

Adam nodded, handing her the pistol back. He was slightly surprised Daniel would give Jesse something so expensive when he knew the boy's family wasn't rich by any stretch...

Jesse fingered the metal horses and smiled before setting the pistol back on her bedside table, and Adam decided to trust Jesse's instinct on this one.  
_

The somber mood at the Cartwright household was over when Jesse's fever broke after three days. As always, she was rearing to go.

"Slow down, Jackrabbit. Don't want you gettin snared again." Hoss said, ruffling her hair playfully.

"That wasn't my fault. Kelly and I would've been back in time that night if we hadn't been kidnapped."

Adam chuckled. "Yeah, sure you would've. I think it's just a convenient excuse..."

"She did learn from the master." Joe grinned, and Jesse returned his smile.

Snow started to fall, and Jesse grinned. "I love winter." she muttered.

"That's just cuz Ms. Fancy don't give you no manners lessons then." Hoss said.

Jesse nodded. "That, and snow. Angel tears, my Ma called it. The angels cry during the winter."

Adam looked at her, his poetic soul taking interest. "Why do they cry in winter, Jesse?" he asked.

"Because everything dies in the cold. You'd cry too if you saw such a barren, brown earth, no leaves on trees, no crops growing, little children getting sick from playing too much in the cold... Everything is dead in winter. The angels cry to wash it's blood away. And when spring comes, why does it rain so much? I knew you'd ask that too, Adam Cartwright." Jesse said, grinning at Adam's shocked expression.

She sighed. "It rains in spring because it's weeping for joy, washing away the sad tears with happy ones so things can grow. Maybe it's the indian in me, but I like it better with the winter snow on the ground... Prettier, I suppose."

"Winter is the hunting season." Tom reminded her. "All the indians love winter. We have festivals to distract us from the gloom and play games and tell stories..."

"You mean like christmas all the time?" Joe asked, looking interested.

Tom nodded. "Minus the gifts. But everyone is still happy anyways, happy to be in one another's company and have warmth and be alive..."

And that was how they passed the rest of the afternoon, with Tom and Jesse recounting the winters they'd spent visiting their indian cousins and the stories and legends they were told, keeping even Adam, who was the best story-teller in the house- on the edge of his seat.

Finally, the fire burned low and the snow continued to swirl in the darkness of night.

"Alright, off to bed, everyone." Ben ordered, and even Hoss looked a little remorseful. The stories their siblings told of indian life were magical to them, filled with traditions and customs of people they'd never known.

"It's like an entire different society!" Adam said, excited, on his way up to bed.

Jesse nodded. "Even savage indians kill for a reason. The Mayans killed for sacrifices to Gods. The white men thought indians were savage, but they were just happy with their way of life. They developed a way to survive and the liked it. Every tribe has customs and reasons for why they do things..."

Adam looked out his window one last time before settling down in bed. Jesse was in her room, asleep, and safe, and the Cartwright household was once again whole.


	51. Too many Angel Tears

**Islaboe, there may be some girly chapters. I think Jesse has sort of found her balance as a girl and an awesome, adventureous Cartwright. I can't believe all my readers thought the story was done so soon! Have a little faith, guys- my writers block is over, an I still have more ideas on what to do- not to mention the sequel I'm dreaming of! So please read on, and review of course! :)**

"Jesse, wake up. Come on, wake up." Joe said, shaking hai sister lightly.

"Hrrumph." Jesse rolled over in bed, away from him.

Joe rolled his eyes. Adam said Jesse was as bad as he was to wake up, but he couldn't be this difficult.

"Jesse, come on, it's your first day of school today." Joe tried.

Wait, she didn't want to go to school. Alright, Joe decided, enough with the gentle approach.

"Fire! The house is on fire!"

Jesse started awake and fell on her face, and Joe had to laugh. "Boy, that sure got you outta bed. Come on, sis." he helped her to her feet, "It's you first day of school. If Mr. Lewis thinks you're ready, he'll give you the final exam soon."

Jesse nodded, still looking half-asleep. Joe was relieved the cuts on her wrists from the rawhide had healed.

"Pa even got you a new dress." Joe tried to cheer her.

Jesse groaned and shooed Joe from the room before getting dressed.

The dress was a pretty robin's egg blue, with matching hair ribbons, but she didn't really want that...

"Morning." She said, sitting down at the table plainly.

Ben smiled to see his daughter in the dress for school. "Good morning, Jesse. Now, You're to ride to school with Adam..."

"With Adam? Why can't I just ride by myself, Pa?"

Ben cleared his throat. "Because you're becoming a young lady, Jesse, and it isn't safe for young ladies to ride by themselves."

Jesse sighed and finished her breakfast before going to saddle the horses.

"Are you excited about your first day of school?" Adam asked as they rode. Jesse, thankfully, once again rode astride.

"First and hopefully last day. I just hope Mr. Lewis gives me the exam soon so I can leave."

"Oh come now, Jesse- what's not to like about school?" Adam asked.

"When you went to school you didn't have to wear a dress. Or sit with all the nasty gossip girls. Besides, I'm quarter indian- no one likes a savage. Us half-breeds sit alone."

Adam grabbed the reins of Thunder and pulled both horses to a stop. Jesse didn't meet Adam's eyes. "Now who told you such a foolish thing?" Adam demanded.

"No one. If you look like an indian yo sit alone. It's always that way, Adam."

"Well in Virginia City it sure isn't. Now you are a beautiful young lady- I'm proud to have a sister like you- and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise. Hold your head high, girl- you're a Cartwright." Adam said, cupping her chin in his hands. "Look at me. Let me see those sky-blue eyes."

She did, and she smiled slightly. "Thanks, Adam."

"No problem. That's what big brothers re for. Now come on, we wouldn't want to be late for your first day."

Still, Jesse felt slightly nervous when Adam left her in the schoolyard, but she quickly sat beside Kelly at the desks. Kelly offered her friend a warm smile and Mr. Lewis rang the bell signaling the start of the day.

"Now, students, we have a new student, Jessica Cartwright. Stand up, Jessica."

She obeyed, smiling slightly. "It's just Jesse, sir. Jessica is too fancy."

Mr. Lewis smiled. "Alright then just Jesse, please take a seat. Now students, open your readers to whee we left off..."

Jesse shared a reader with Kelly and found all the stories easy ones she'd read before at her old school, so she flipped to the last one when Kelly was finised reading her story.

Just then, Mr. Lewis called on her. "Jesse, will you please read aloud he story you're on?"

"Yessir." she said, slightly nervous, and she stood in front of her desk like she'd seen the other students do and started to read.

"There once was a cat who wanted a fish. So e went to the stream and he looked through the water. Why, there is another cat! he thought to himself, but really, it was just his reflection in the water. The cat reached out a paw to shake hands with himself- and got it all wet in the stream! The cat was so startled he ran off and never went fishing again."

By the end of the story, Jesse was smiling, and some of the younger children were laughing. "Very nice, Jesse. Onto Arithmetic, class."

Jesse found the work easy for the rest of the day, and even decided to join a snow ball fight at recess, before Mr. Lewis looked outside. It was already early December, and he man frowned at the clouds in the distance.

"Children, it looks as though a blizzard is coming. I'm letting out school early today."

The students cheered and Jesse was quiet as she and Kelly trooped outside.

"Adam won't know to meet me, sine school let out early, and Pa doesn't want me riding alone." Jesse stated.

"My Pa doesn't want me riding alone either, and Jimmy is down with the flu... Tell you what, Jesse, what of we ride together out to my ranch, and then my Pa can escort you the rest f the way home so your Pa won't be mad."

"Sounds like a fine idea, Kelly. Let's go."

Both girls mounted their horses and started out, but the dark clouds still loomed over them.

"The woods sure is pretty with the snow and ice on all the trees." Kelly said, and Jesse nodded. "Why so quiet, Jesse?"

"I'm worried we won't make it home before the blizzard strikes. I can feel it coming soon- I can smell it."

Kelly nodded- she knew better than to second-guess Jesse on the weather. There was something in her indian blood that made t so she could feel things before they happened.

"Maybe we can at least make it to my ranch before the blizzard comes, and you can stay with us." Kelly suggested.

Jesse shook her head. "No. It's already here." she declared, and just then, it started to snow.

The girls pushed on despite the snow, but soon he wind became too much, like needles in their skin, and the driving snow so hard hey'd lost even the path before them and could hardly see an arms-length in front of their face.

"Kelly!" Jesse yelled over the snarling of the wind.

"Yes!?" her friend called.

"Go forward! I remember a cave around this part in the woods!"

As she spoke, Kelly stumbled and fell right into the cave, leading her chestnut gelding, Pipp, on behind her, and Jesse did the same with Thunder.

Soon the cave had warmed up enough for them to top their teeth from chattering, and Kelly looked out at the wall of white snow falling. "Now what?" she asked, dismayed.

"Now we stick it out. Let's hope his isn't a week-long blizzard. Did you save any food from lunch?"

Kelly nodded. "I saved my apple and half a tart Ma made me."

"I saved some dumplings Hop Sing made, too." Jesse said, setting the food beside her friends. "Now, we have to make that last. We have all he water we need, though..." she pulled a book of matches from her saddle bag, as well as a the cup which she filled with snow. Kelly scraped some pine boughs up from the ground. and son they were melting the cup of snow over he small blaze.

They took turns sipping water and telling stories, but the howling winds never ceased. Night came, but the snowflakes stood out pale white in comparison.

"My Pa, Hoss, Joe, Adam, and Tom will come looking for us if this lessens up any." Jesse tried to reassure Kelly.

Kelly sighed. "Yeah, but ever since Betty died of Scarlet Fever, Ma's been real careful about keeping me close. If she thinks I died- it just might kill her, Jesse."

Jesse saw the worry in her friend's eyes and embraced her. "It's going to be okay, Kelly, trust me. Every storm has to stop sometime. We just gotta last until then. It on't be that long... geez, I'm cold. Come on, let's get some sleep." Jesse urged.

In the darkness, the girls curled up with the horses, who'd bedded down for the night. The heat from the four bodies together was enough to make them comfortable, and they held each other, as though afraid they'd disappear if they let go, all night long.  
_

"Pa, Jesse hasn't come home from school." Joe said, looking worried.

"I hope they're all holed up at the school house. This blizzard is one for the books." Adam remarked.

"I'm sure they are, Adam, I bet Mr. Lewis had the sense to keep the students who live farthest away there..."

"I'm not so sure, Pa." Hoss said. "I mean, Mr, Lewis is from Boston, not Nevada. He don't know how the storms out here blow in so fast. You don't think Jesse is lost out there..." Hoss motioned to the world of white.

"I'm sure wherever she is she's safe. Our ancestors holed up through storms like this all the time, and my grandpa, Red Bear, taught us what to do. She'll be fine." Tom assured them.

"I sure hope so." Joe said, looking out at the blizzard before sighing, praying his sister was alright.


	52. Black Bears and Dawn Rides

**Okay, Islaboe, this is for you. I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I'm trying to find the balance between bro Adam and dad Adam between them. Please review, review, review! I'll be inclined to write more if I get a lot of reviews! Enjoy! :)**

Kelly opened her eyes to see the blizzard hadn't stopped yet, Jesse sat beside her, still asleep. Kelly tried to relax, listening to the breathing of the horses, Jesse, and herself... She froze. There was the sound of five creatures breathing, not four. Something or someone was in here with them.

"Jesse. Jesse, wake up!" she whispered, shaking her friend nervously. Her breath made clouds in the cold air, and Jesse moaned before opening her eyes.

"Kelly?" she asked, still bleary eyed.

"Shh! There's someone else in here with us!" Kelly whispered hurriedly. "I can hear them breathing!"

Jesse nodded, opening her saddle bag. She'd bought a mason jar of kerosene from the general store a few days ago for the lamps and had forgotten to take it inside, and she dipped a rag in it before finding a match and lighting it.

Slowly, she and Kelly trooped to the back of the cave, and found a mass of black fur...

"It's a black bear." Jesse breathed.

She grabbed Kelly by the arm and dragged her back towards the opening of the cave.

"Won't it kill us?" Kelly asked, looking scared.

"No. It came here to hibernate, it's got enough food. Besides, black bears are scavengers, they eat berries and dead things. It hasn't woken up yet, so we should be safe."

Kelly nodded. "So we just leave it there?"

"I don't see what else we can do. Neither of us want to try getting close enough to slit it's throat, and that would definitely wake it up." Jesse said, and Kelly nodded.  
_

The wind slowly let up, and Adam stood. "I'm going to find her. Jesse probably left the school with Kelly to try and ride back here- I bet they're holed up in that cave on the way here."

Ben stared. "Are you sure, son?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Pa. It's letting up now, probably just taking a break, I have to make sure they're okay." Adam went to the kitchen, grabbing a loaf of bread, a lantern, and a book of matches.

"Be careful, son."

"I will, Pa." Adam assured him, before heading out to the barn, It was colder and more windy than he'd expected, but even without being able to see the path, Sport knew the way. Halfway to the cave, the wind picked up, and snow continued lowing, stealing almost all the air from Adam's lungs.

"Come on, Sport." Adam urged his horse on, knowing he'd need to get to the cave before he and Sport were too exhausted to carry on. After what seemed like an eternity, they staggered into the cave.

"Adam!" Jesse raced over and embraced her brother, and Adam held her tightly. "I thought we'd lost you for awhile, kid." he admitted.

"Shhh! You'll wake the black bear." Jesse said.

Kelly led Sport over to stand with their horses, allowing the siblings a moment of privacy.

"The black bear?" Adam asked, looking curious.

Jesse nodded, and saw the lantern he'd brought with him, leading him to the back of the cave and the slumbering black bear.

"We didn't even know he was here until this morning." Jesse said, and Adam let out a low whistle.

"I don't want to shoot it..." he said, looking over at his rifle on Sport.

"Adam, please don't!" Kelly said, hurrying over. "He isn't hurting anyone, and black bears are so rare in Nevada these days..."

"Remember what you taught me, Adam? Black Bears are scavengers, they won't hurt us, and it ain't fair to shoot em' while they're asleep like this..." Jesse added.

Adam sighed. "Call me crazy, but I think we could use the heat his body provides anyways."

"Thanks, Adam." Jesse said, smiling up at him.

"Why did you two leave the school?" Adam asked, looking concerned, still.

"Mr. Lewis let school out early, and I knew you were going to come ride home with me in an hour, but the blizzard was coming, and Kelly and I thought we could make it to her ranch, at least, before the blizzard came... I didn't mean to get caught in it or disobey Pa Adam, honest, I just waned to get home before the blizzard..." Jesse said, tears filling her pretty blue eyes.

"Hey, none of that now." Adam said, smiling slightly as he wiped her eyes. "I know you didn't mean to. I'm just glad you two made it to the cave and were wise enough to not bother the black bear. They are scavengers, but they're grumpier than Joe when you wake em' up." he said, and both girls laughed.

"I figured you two were holed up here, so I bought some bread and things." Adam said, pulling out the loaf.

"How much longer do you think the blizzard will last, Adam?" Kelly asked, looking curious.

"Oh, maybe the rest of day. The angels have to run out of tears, right, Jesse?" Adam said, smiling, and Jesse nodded.

"I saved some of Hop Sing's dumplings too, Adam." Jesse said, pulling them out of her dinner pail.

Adam nodded. "I see you have kerosene and matches, but hardly any kindling. How have you two been keeping warm?"

"We've been huddling up with the horses." Jesse explained, and Adam smiled. Jesse was certainly clever, thinking of that.

"Sounds like a plan." Adam said, huddling against the horses with them.

"Adam, can you tell us stories? To make the time pass?" Jesse asked hopefully.

Adam smiled slightly. "Alright. What story?"

"The one where I saved you from dying in the stampede." Jesse said, smiling.

Adam rolled his eyes. "You mean the time you were foolhardy enough to pull your horse in front of that crazy bunch of cattle for me?"

Jesse nodded, smiling.

"Alright. But then I get to tell a story where I save you and Joe, alright?"

"Alright. Now come on, I want to hear it!" Jesse said, grinning, and Adam began.

The storm lasted well into the night, and by the time the roaring winds had ceased, all three if them were near out if stories and kerosene light to tell them by.

"Well, we should all be getting home. Kelly, we'll ride with you to your ranch,your folks have got to be worried, before we ride back to the Ponderosa."  
Kelly nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Adam."

"Then I can change out of this doggone dress!" Jesse said, making everyone laugh.

Kelly's mother burst into tears of joy when she saw her little girl had survived the storm, seeing her among the three riders of the dawn that trotted up to her front porch.

"Kelly!" Kelly's father raced over to embrace his daughter and turned to Adam, tars of joy and relief glistening in his eyes. "Thank you, Adam." he said, voice shaking.

"Not a problem, sir. Just figured she'd like some company on the ride home. We'd best be going, Jesse, Pa will be worried."

Jesse waved before they were gone, heading up towards the Ponderosa.

"Adam, do you think Pa will be mad at me? I honestly didn't mean to disobey ya or anything, I just wanted to get home..."

"I know, Jesse. No, I don't think Pa will be mad, more relieved to have you home safe and sound. I'll explain it to him. We did real well out there with Kelly, you must've been scared, being caught out there at night, alone..."

Jesse smiled. "Nah, not really. Whenever got scared, I just told myself that if anyone came along and tried to rough us up, my brother Adam would whale the tar outta them when he got ahold of them..."

Adam laughed. "That's one way to think of it, I suppose. God to have you back, kid. I was worried there for awhile. We all were."

"Don't be worried about me, Adam. After this incident, I think Pa will be more liable to let me carry my pistol and ditch this dress- it was freezing in this thing."

Adam laughed. The Ponderosa house was in sight, now, and Adam smiled. "Come on. We'll see what Pa has to say about that when we get inside."

"Race ya!" Jesse called, back to her normal carefree self again.

"That's a race you'll loose, kid!" Adam warned, kicking Sport into a gallop. The sun was just rising, and sparkled off the snow. Surrounded by the woodlands of the Ponderosa, a little girl's laughter could be heard echoing like silver bells as she and her brother raced their horses to the barn.

**This is not the end! Oh no, I still have lots more I want to do with this story! Sorry updates have been taking so long, but I got into a slump, but now I'm out of it and will be updating once or twice weekly. Please review!**


	53. Adventureous Spirit

**No, the story isn't over. I'm sorry updates have been taking so long, I find myself lacking reviews (and inspiration) and I've been writing other stuff lately, but I am going to get back to this story! There will be another update today around seven pm!**

Jesse rode on up the winding hills towards Daniel's house. She knew he was bunking at her ranch while he pretended to be loyal to Simon, and she also knew that with his Father dead and younger sister off in boarding school, his mother remained alone.

She had a basket of muffins with her to take the woman, and she turned Thunder into the yard tying him to the hitching post in front of the house before knocking.

"Hello, Jesse." Daniel grinned, opening the door.

"Daniel! I thought you'd be down at he Desert Rose..."

"I was, but I came to see my Ma and make sure she's alright... Say, did you make those muffins, Jesse Cartwright?" Daniel asked, eyeing the muffins.

"Sure did, Daniel." she grinned at her old friend, who was always thinking of his next meal.

"Daniel! Invite her in!" Mrs. Rucker scolded, gently nudging her son aside.

"Please come in, Jesse. Pardon Daniel's... personality." she joked, and they all laughed as Jesse entered the cabin, setting the basket of muffins on the table.

"How are things, Mrs. Rucker?" she asked.

"Oh, fine. Nasty winter, with all the blizzards and such, but we'll be fine. And yourself?"

"Just fine Mrs. Rucker. I got caught in that blizzard on the way home from school a few days ago with Kelly, but we made it out alright."

"Of all the girls, you would, Jesse." Mrs. Rucker said, smiling. "I know most would just faint and freeze to death, but not you..."

"Hard to die in the land you were born in." Jesse agreed, sitting down on the sofa.

"I wonder what will happen when they finally settle this country. When cities spring up and the law moves in... Will I still have to carry a gun?" Jesse wondered aloud.

"Always have to. Never know when you'll need it." Daniel said, motioning to Jesse's holster.

Jesse nodded and smiled. "Exactly. But when those fine society ladies come, they can mock me all they want, but I'll always wear pants under a dress..."

"Some things never change." Daniel said, smiling.

"I guess not." Jesse agreed. "Anyways, I have to be getting back to the Ponderosa, Pa will be worried if I'm gone for long..."

"Of course, of course." Mrs. Rucker stood and showed Jesse to the door, and Daniel walked with her to her horse.

"How are things at the Desert Rose, Daniel?" Jesse asked anxious to hear what was going on at her ranch.

"Simon's managing it just like he would were your father here- the only difference is he's keeping the profits. Any word from your Pa, Jesse?" Daniel asked.

She shook her head. "None. I hope something hasn't happened to him..."

"Don't you worry, Jesse. In the Spring, when the mail can get through easier, I'm sure he'll send word."

"I hope you're right." Jesse said.

Daniel sighed. "Ma and the hands do alright here, but Jesse, could you od me a favor? Could you ride up to check on my Ma every now and again? I don't like the idea of her out here by herself, and as you said, this land isn't settled."

"Of course, Daniel. It won't be any trouble." Jesse said, swinging up onto Thunder, Daniel grinned t see her riding astride again.

"I take it your Pa gave up on side saddle?" he asked.

"Sure did. I'll come by later this week to be sure your Ma's alright, Daniel."

"Thanks, old friend." Daniel smiled.

"Bye, Daniel." and she was off, riding Thunder down the hill, through the snow, towards the ponderosa as the morning sun sparkled off the snow. Daniel stared. He even liked the way the girl rode. He had no doubt he was going to marry her someday.

"Evening Adam." Jesse nodded to her brother as she rode into the yard.

Adam cocked an eyebrow. "And where have you been?"

"Out calling." Jesse said, smiling slightly. She was always in a good mood after seeing Daniel...

"Since when do you make social visits? Please tell me you wore a dress..." Adam said.

"Since when do I wear dresses?" Jesse asked, looking disgusted as she jumped down from Thunder, leading him towards the barn.

"Jesse, you can't just go visiting people in trousers. Word will get around... You visited Daniel, didn't you?"

"I went to check up on his Ma." Jesse affirmed, getting the saddle off Thunder and starting to groom him.

"Well alright then. Mrs. Rucker seems to like you quite a bit. Must be something about a girl as independent as you..."

"Yeah, something like that." Jesse grinned as the evening sun set. "Supper ready yet?"

"I think so..."

"Adam! Adam, come on!" Joe rode up, sounding anxious.

"What's wrong, Joe?"

"The Franklin's barn is on fire, Adam! Then need all the men they can get!" Joe yelled. Adam ran out and jumped on Sport, both riding out towards their neighbor's.

Jesse swore- she didn't have time to put the saddle on, she reasoned, and Thunder was the fastest horse around... She swung up onto Thunder anyways, galloping him out of the barn and after her brothers.

She turned him off the main path, taking Thunder on a short cut, racing through the bare woods, splashing across a creek and up the hill to the Franklin's yard...

She'd long since spied the smoke, and she jumped off Thunder. She'd beaten Joe and Adam here, and men were throwing buckets of snow on the flames, trying desperately to put the roaring inferno out...

"The horses! Someone save the horses!" Mr. Franklin yelled. The screams of frightened horses from inside were audible...

Jesse took that as her cue, running into the barn. The heat was unbearable, the smoke choking and thick, and she tried to hold her breath as she went from stall to stall, letting the frightened horses out...

On the second to last stall the horse slammed into her, knocking her down as it raced out. Her vision had grown hazy by now, but she scrambled to her feet and stumbled like a drunkard over to the last stall, letting a nervous pony out...

Suddenly she was on the ground, unable to tell which direction was out and feeling dizzy...

"Jesse!" she recognized a voice over the crackling of the flames and staggered blindly towards it, finding her feet wobbly and her lungs starved for air as she staggered towards the exit...

A moment later she was outside, staggering onto the snow. The evening sun had set, leaving the inferno as the brightest thing yet, and Jesse staggered towards the waiting arms.

"I got the horses out, Daniel." she whispered, before she slumped into a dead faint.

"Jesse!" Daniel forgot about the blaze, turning to his horse, a glossy mustang, and jumping on, Jesse cradled against his chest.

"Hang on, little girl." he pleaded, as he guided his horse with one hand in the reins, the other holding Jesse firmly.

FLASHBACK

_"Jesse!" He heard the noise in the brush and watched the girl wince as the knife dug into her arm. She whirled to find herself face to face with the scruffy man the posse had just gone out after and Jesse drew her own pocket knife._

_The man drew a gun and nodded to Daniel. "Take me inside or the girl dies."_

_"Yessir..." Daniel stuttered, nervous. Even though he was only thirteen, and Jesse ten, he knew the situation was serious, and that Though they'd said he was too young to join the posse he'd have to be a man that day..._

_Jesse threw her knife with accuracy, and it embedded in the man's hand. He dropped the gun, shocked, and clutched the wound, a string of curses flying from his mouth, Daniel saw his opportunity and moved, fists pummeling the man until he was on the ground, unconscious._

_"We should tie him up." Jesse said._

_Just then, Tom rounded his horse into the clearing. "Tim can take care of him. Lt's get you to a doctor." Daniel replied, staring at the knife in his friend's sister's upper arm._

_"Might be a good idea..." Jesse muttered as she collapsed, unconscious. Daniel quickly caught her before she hit he ground, climbing onto his horse with her. He'd get her to the doctor in time..._

_END FLASHBACK_

"Can't you ever stay out of adventure?" Daniel asked her unconscious form as he galloped down towards Doc Martin's. But deep down, he knew her adventurous spirit was what he loved about this girl.

**Will Jesse survive? Will Daniel tell her of his feelings? Will I stoo asking these annoying questions? Tune in at seven pm to find out!**


	54. Heart to Heart

**Sorry it's like 2 hours late, but today is my birthday and i had to go out with my family tonight- I'm offically 14! Yay! Give me the gift of reviews, please!**

They'd lost the barn to the flames, and the men stomped out the embers of it now. Adam and Joe had joined the crowd of men offering condolences to Mr. Franklin over his lost barn, but the man shook his head.

"At least my horses got out. I've been meaning to build a new barn anyways." he said. When Adam and Joe approached, Mr. Franklin looked serious.

"Thanks, boys. And thank Jesse, too, I hope she's alright..."

Adam blinked, surprised. "I'm afraid I don't understand, Mr. Franklin, Jesse was here?"

"Sure was. The gal ran right into the thick of it and let the horses out. Brave as a warrior, that girl. She fainted afterwards, I think Daniel rode off with her..."

Adam and Joe exchanged glances. No other words were needed, and they both raced over to Cochise and Sport, galloping towards Doc Martin's office.

"What if he isn't taking here to Doc Martin?" Joe asked. "What if he's taking her..."

"Then I'll kill him." Adam said. He was already afraid of what state his sister was in, and if Daniel had the guts to take advantage of the girl while she was like this, Adam wouldn't give a second thought about filling him with lead.

"He wouldn't do that." They looked over t see Tom had joined them on their midnight ride. "He's been my best friend for years. Always managed to drag Jesse to the doctor whenever she needed it..."

"Just the same, if he hurts her he'll have hell to pay." Adam said firmly, his protective side coming out.

They raced up to Dc Martin's to find Daniel's horse already there. Daniel was looking anxious as Doc Martin had Jesse laid out on the bed and was trying to get some medicine into her unconscious form.

"Jesse!" Adam, Joe and Tom ran in, Adam giving Doc Martin a nervous look. "Will she be alright?"

Doc Martin nodded. "She inhaled a lot of smoke, I can hear her chest rattling, but she should be alright..." as he spoke, Jesse coughed up a mouthful of soot and her eyes fluttered open. She stared at the soot she'd just spit out, then at Daniel.

"Pardon me, that was very unlady-like." she said, remembering the manners. Adam had said boys liked a dame with good manners...

"You did it again, Jesse. How many brushes with death is that? Sixteen?" Tom asked, smiling down at her.

Jesse shrugged. "Death is a hazard of livin', Tom..." she said, coughing up even more soot.

"This is, what, the seventh time I've had to ride off and take you to a doctor?" Daniel asked jokingly.

"Hey, I'm the one that dug the bullet out of you after that hunting accident." Jesse said. "You owe me a few favors anyway."

"Ah, the adventures we've had." Tom said, remembering all the situations he, Daniel and Jesse used to get into as kids. "I'd love to reminisce, but Pa will tan our hides if we don't get on home. Send the bill to our Pa, will you, Doc?"

Doc Martin nodded. "You rest for a few days, Jesse." he ordered.

Jesse grinned. "I make no promises, Doc."

"But I do." Adam said, scooping her up, bridal-style. "And I promise I'll chain you in bed if I have to."

Jesse sighed. "Is Pa going to be mad at me?" she asked nervously as the left Doc Martin's.

"Well, you did ride off without telling anyone where you were going and you did something dangerous." Adam said.

"Yeah, but she did it to help Mr. Franklin, right Jesse? She had the right reasons for doing what she did her heart was in the right place." Joe said

Adam sighed. "This is one of those times I can't give you an answer, Jesse. Only Pa can. But I do know this." he gave her a swat on the bottom. "That's for scaring us and running off. Don't you ever do that again young lady, understand?" he said sternly.

"Yes, Adam. I guess I wasn't really thinking..."

"No, you weren't thinking. You were just going out on a limb seeking a thrill, and you got one. You could've died. Next time, you ask us before you go and do something crazy like that."

Jesse sighed. "Yes, Adam..." her eyes were fluttering closed, and Adam smiled slightly as she drifted off to sleep.

Ben panicked slightly when he saw his youngest being carried up to the house by Adam, having a flashback of himself carrying Marie's limp body up to the house all those years ago...

"What happened?" he demanded, taking her from Adam and laying her out on the sofa.

"There was a fire at the Franklin's. She ran in to save the horses." Adam said drily.

"Doc Martin says she'll be fine." Tom said, voice equally as dry.

Ben sighed, sitting down in the chair opposite her. "We need to talk about this thrill seeking..."

"I agree completely, Pa. She's going to get herself killed." Adam spoke up.

"I admit, this was a little too far. I know she wasn't seeking a thrill when she rode home in that blizzard, but her adventures are getting out of hand." Tom said.

"I disagree with you for once. I was just like her as a kid, and I turned out fine." Joe said. The men all exchanged a glance.

"Yes, Joe, but you were a boy." Ben said gently.

"What does that have to do with it?" Joe asked, looking indignant.

"Joe, just listen, alright. What if it hadn't been Daniel who'd taken her down to Doc Martin's, but some other man who rode off with her. As a boy out here, it's a lot less dangerous..." Adam said. "I don't want her to get hurt, by fate's hand, or any man's."

Ben nodded. "I agree. I'll definitely speak with her on the matter when she wakes up. We've all had a ling day, boys, get on up to bed." Ben said. Tom stayed as all the others went upstairs.

"Yes, Tom? Something you need to say to me?" Ben asked, and Tom nodded.

"A-as a child, my Pa let Jesse do some... boyish things, I mean, she wore trousers and rode astride all the time with Daniel and me. I know she's a girl, Pa, and I know she needs to realize that- but try and be understanding with her." Tom pleaded.

"Don't worry, Tom. I've had this talk with Joe plenty of times before, about the thrill seeking, anyways. I'll be gentle about it."

Tom nodded. "Thank you, Pa. Goodnight."

"Goodnight son." Ben said, smiling as his son made his way upstairs.  
_

"Pa?" Jesse opened her eyes a little less than an hour later, looking confused as she kay on the couch in front of the hearth.

"Yes, Jesse?"

"Are you going to tan my hide?" she asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

"No, Jesse. I want to talk to you, though." Ben said.

"When you ran into the Franklin's barn, what were you thinking?" Ben asked.

"I was thinking I needed to save the horses." Jesse said.

"When you rode off to the Franklins to help, what did you really want to do? Did you really want to help out the fire?"

"Of course, Pa. Do you think I wanted to feed it kindling?"

"Jesse." Ben said firmly, and she immediately stopped with the attitude. "Did you go up there because you wanted to help the Franklins, or because you wanted a thrill?"

"Both, I guess..." Jesse said.

"Jesse, one should never go into a dangerous situation seeking thrills." Ben said. "Do you understand why I didn't punish you for trying to ride home through that blizzard?" Ben asked.

"Not fully, no." She said quietly.

"I didn't punish you because it was clear you didn't disobey me to go and seek a thrill by riding home alone- you only sought to try and get home before a blizzard and tried your best. If you'd ridden home alone any other day, seeking simply a thrill, you would've been punished." Ben said. "We live in unsettled country, Jesse. That is why I allow you to wear trousers and carry a gun. Do you know who rode you down to Doc Martin's?"

Jesse nodded. "It was Daniel, Pa."

"I know Daniel is an old friend of yours, Jesse, but what if it hadn't been Daniel who'd taken you? What if it'd been a disgusting man who wanted to do dishonorable things to you while you were unable to fight back?"

Jesse paled. "Gee, Pa, I guess I never thought of that..."

"No, you didn't. And do you know why, Jesse? Because you rode in seeking a thrill. In any situation, you should always think of the possible outcomes. Now, I know you're a tomboy and impulsive and sometimes you don't take the time to stop and think, but you need to. You're growing up, sweetheart- you get prettier every day, I don't want anyone to take advantage of you. So this thrill-seeking has to stop."

Jesse nodded. "I understand, Pa. Maybe you can try and remind me to think sensibly when I need it sometimes." Jesse said. "But, can I still thrill seek when I'm with someone whose sensible? Like Adam?"

"No, Jesse. Thrill seeking ultimately leads to not thinking, and when people aren't thinking, they often get hurt. Before you go rushing into a situation, I want you to think, is it safe, and of it isn't, you stay by me or your brothers. Are we understood, Jesse?"

"Yes Pa." Jesse said.

"Good. And that is why I'm assigning you to stay with Adam until Christmas. Mr. Lewis tole me you'll be taking the final exam next week, and until then, I want you thinking sensibly. Tomorrow you'll ride beside Adam and go with him as he dies all his chores. Understand, Jesse?"

"I understand, Pa." Jesse mu,bled, but her eyes were already closing. "Love you, Pa."

"I love you too, Jesse." Ben said, looking at her tenderly as she drifted off to sleep.


	55. Jessie the Maid

**I'm sorry it's late guys, I had an incredibly busy day! I'm also sorry it's short, I'll conclude the Christmas part tomorrow evening. This chaoter shows Jesse in a more obiedient, girly light, and the next chapter is a bit of Jessie/Joe bonding. Iheartninjago, thanks for the happy birthday! 14 doesn't feel that much different than thirteen. Please review, guys! :)**

Jesse snuck into the house once again, feeling the chill air and shivering slightly- it was near Christmas time, once again, and the fire in the hearth had long since died...

She slipped upstairs, avoiding the squeaky boards before slipping up to her room and quietly pouring the coins out of her mason jar.

She counted the coins. Three dollars and forty nine cents, along with the fifty dollar purse she'd won in the races, but Adam had put that in he bank in Virginia City...

"How was work?" Joe whispered, seeing her in the moonlight.

"Good. How was mending fences?" she asked.

"Good. You almost ready to go on our little visit?" Joe asked.

"I'll be ready by Wednesday. But I'll need you to come to the bank to help me withdraw the prize money." she said firmly.

"I will, sis. Now get some shut eye- you have to take the final exam tomorrow." Joe said, and she nodded, before Joe turned. "Good night, Jesse."

"Night, Joe."

The next day, Jesse was a bit antsy as to the final exam, but she finished it on time and paced the school house as Mr. Lewis graded it. She knew she'd passed, but she was still nervous...

"An A plus, Jesse. Here's your diploma." Mr. Lewis beamed, handing it to her. "Your Ma taught you well in all those subjects. I've never had a pupil as bright as you..."

"Then you've never taught my brother, Adam." Jesse sad, grinning. "Thank you. Mr. Lewis."

"Good luck in whatever you choose to make of yourself, Jesse." Mr. Lewis said. In truth, Jesse had enjoyed the school and her time there- so similar when he mother had taught her and her brother at home, the cheery wood stove with fire crackling and young children always laughing... Yes, she'd grown to like school. But it was time to move on.

She slipped outside and onto Thunder, waiting for Joe to come around the bend.

"How'd you do, sis?" he yelled, pulling up Cochiese.

"Passed with flying colors, Joe! Care to escort me to work?" she asked, bringing Thunder up beside Cochiese.

"Of course, kid. I heard Mr. Mars really appreciates your help..."

"I hope so. Only job I could find, after all..."

Joe stopped before the Mars house and Jesse dismounted, tying up Thunder and waving to Joe as he rode off.

She entered the house and took off her boots, hearing the children squeal and run around her...

"Jesse's here, Jesse's here!" they sang.

"Hello, Theodore, Agnes, Lily." She ruffled their hair. "Have you been good for your Ma?"

"Sorta." Theodore said. Jesse tied on an apron, nodding to them. "You be good and quiet and I'll make you sourdough biscuits for supper tonight." she said,mand instantly, the children hushed. Jesse slipped into the bedroom where Mrs. Mars laid on her back, stomach large with child.

"Hello Mrs. Mars. How are you feeling today?"

"Good, Jesse, now that you're here." Mrs. Mrs said, smiling wanly. "I'll put some broth on for you. Any day now, correct?"

"Yes, the baby's due any day now." Mrs. Mars grinned. "I really do appreciate this, Jesse..."

"Dn't worry yourself, Mrs. Mars. Just rest. I've got to go entertain the children."

Despite being boyish in nature, when it came down to it, Jesse knew how t keep house. She worked with military precision, telling stories that kept the children enraptured and out of trouble while she cooked the broth and helped Mrs. Mars to eat, before slipping into her bedroom and telling he children to wait.

By the time Mr. Mars got home from work, it was well past dark. Jesse had fried a chicken after she butchered it, as per Mrs, Mar's wishes. They had corn bread, creamed corn, peas, carrots, sour dough biscuits, milk, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a pumpkin pie she'd made from scratch after getting permission to use the pumpkin preserves from Mrs. Mars.

Mr. Mars smiled. "Thank you, Jesse, I really appreciate it..." he said.

"Not a problem, Mr. Mars. Would you mind me staying to help Lily and Agnes ready for bed?"

"Not at all..."

And so she stayed, slipping upstairs and telling the girls a story after washing their faces and helping Lily to dress. She slipped downstairs to find Mr, Mars waiting in the candle light, but wasn't afraid- Mr. Mars was an upright, family man who reminded her of her own father, and he handed her a nickel.

"Thanks again, Jesse. I don't know what we'd do without you. With Gloria laid up and the doctor worrying about the baby, no one would take such a hard job for such a small wage..."

"Please don't make a fuss about it, Mr. Mars. I appreciate what you can get me- I plan on buying Christmas presents with it..."

"I should've guessed, Jesse. Would you like me to ride you home?"

"Oh, no thank you, Mr. Mars. You should be here un case Mrs. Mars needs you, It won't be a long ride to the Ponderosa anyways Good night, Mr. Mars."

"Good night, Jesse."

And she rode out. She rode alone because it was a short ride through the woods, and Joe knew his sister wold be home by eight that night and had given her permission to ride home alone, so long as he saw her before nine. Joe nodded to her and perched on the end of the bed.

"Tomorrow we leave at dawn. I asked Pa if you could come along and he said yes. You stay by me, alright?"

Jesse nodded before they said goodnight. At the dawn Joe woke her, and she got into her blue gingham dress, wearing jeans underneath. Se didn't care what people thought, really, and mounted up on Thunder, riding beside Joe towards Carson city, chasing the rising sun.


End file.
